


Lean Into the Light

by Arel_Rhink



Category: Rhett & Link, rhink - Fandom
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Other, demon!link, psychic!Rhett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2020-12-21 08:51:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 29,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21072212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arel_Rhink/pseuds/Arel_Rhink
Summary: Demon!Link's eternal life has changed when Psychic!Rhett comes into their life. What starts off as a terrifying haunting for Rhett becomes something of a heart-warming friendship to something maybe even deeper that neither of them could have ever anticipated.





	1. Chapter 1

The night had grown still. There was no trace of the bracing autumn wind in the air, yet still an icy chill rose up and down Rhett's spine. This was his second haunting this month. He was no novice when it came to taking care of spirits in the homes of the living. However, this house gave off a different kind of energy. The aura around it emitted darkness, and the closer he got to the front door the more his stomach knotted from it.

On the front door was a sheet of paper adhered with a strip of tape. The writing on it was unevenly scrawled, almost appearing like chicken-scratch:

-I'm sorry we couldn't be here when you arrived. We couldn't bear to stay another minute. Call if you have any questions. We'll be at a hotel nearby.-

They left their cell phone number at the bottom of the paper. Rhett sighed deeply. He snapped the paper off the mahogany door and folded it into his coat pocket. Right where the paper was lied a key, also taped to the door. Rhett peeled it off carefully, so as go not ruin the beautiful wood underneath it, and held it firmly in his hand. He could feel the fear embedded in the object - how terrified the mother was when she gathered her beloved daughters and locked the house up. He huffed a breath from his nose and popped the key right into the keyhole. It was nice of them to leave him their spare, but he worried that the family wasn't thinking very safely by putting it somewhere where anyone could find it. He figured they were so desperate to leave, they failed to consider any danger outside of the house.

The rattling feeling inside him rang louder and faster by the second. He slowly turned the key, and the gears creaked as they turned, unlocking the door. Rhett closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he held the doorknob in his sweaty palm. He could hear echoes of screaming from inside the empty house. In a burst, he shoved the door open and stumbled inside.

The air in the foyer was heavy, and Rhett sensed a powerful presence immediately. However, no entities could be seen. He scanned the large foyer from the door on the right side of the room, past the tall windows overseeing the garden out back, to the gorgeous, curved staircase to his left. His gaze traveled up the light blue stair carpet until a vision showed a man tumbling down it. The man shouted out and groaned when he hit the bottom. He seemed to be okay, as he picked his head back up to see the top of the stairs. Rhett followed his gaze. His breath hitched at the sight of a foggy, black mass looming overhead. The vision grew dark as it faded back into real space. The room's light better resembled that which was outside. No man was bruised and confused at the staircase's base, and no dark mass emanated from the loft. The presence, however, remained as it was. Its energy was ominous and heavy. It bore a great pressure on Rhett's shoulders. His spine popped in a couple places, sparking notches of pain.

"Upstairs," he spat to himself. "It's always upstairs." He stretched his back, relieving some of his aches, and then set forth to the staircase. He needn't bother to turn on the lights. He relied solely on his abilities to lead him to the source of this dark energy filling the house. His large feet treaded lightly up each step, careful not to make much sound. He needed to be able to hear the smallest creak. The quietest voices. He reached almost halfway up the stairs when something clanged in the other room downstairs. His nerves jittered at the metallic sound. He knew the living members of the household were not home at the time being, so whatever that entity was - a lost soul, demon, or something else - had to be the cause of it.

He quickly tiptoed back down and shuffled for the door across the foyer. He gently pushed the swing doors and peered inside to see a kitchen covered in flour, sugar, and other baking ingredients. A large knife was wedged into the gold-painted wall. Due to the light vibration of the handle, it seemed recently thrown. This was deeply concerning.

As he turned his focus back into the kitchen space, another vision came to him. This was not the first time something was thrown in this room. Before him appeared two young girls at the island counter. The older of the two had dark brown hair held up in a long ponytail. The younger one had a bandana on her head like a headband, keeping her lighter brown curls out of her bright eyes. Both kids had fruit-patterned aprons on over their clothes. They both had their hands in a bowl of dough. Uneven balls of the same dough were splayed out on a tray of parchment paper. The girls smiled as they smelled the sweet chocolate chips mixed into the dough. Seemingly out of nowhere, an icing spatula launched in their direction and knocked a dent into the wall behind them. Their smiles immediately disappeared, and their eyes grew wide. They whipped their heads to where the spatula came from, dropped the dough from their sticky hands, and darted from the room. Their horrified screams filled the air. When the vision faded, it was those very screams that lingered the longest.

Rhett turned to the direction the girls had looked in the vision. What he saw brought chills all over his body. A gaping void of darkness hovered in the corner of the kitchen. A pair of bright blue eyes burned menacingly in the center of it. Rhett froze where he stood, and his lungs stopped gathering oxygen. He felt like his heart stopped pumping blood for that brief moment as those huge eyes bore into his very soul. All he could do was watch as those eyes moved closer to the ceiling. Even for someone as tall as Rhett, these ceilings were high. Seeing a pair of eyes move higher and higher above him absolutely shook him to his core. The entity's body separated itself from the void as it crawled up the wall. Its long, skinny limbs spread out like a large spider.

As if by magic, Rhett finally was able to move. He ducked his head as he jumped backwards a couple feet. His eyes could not be torn from the arachnid-like entity. It stood still, sprawled out upside down on the ceiling, still staring at the man beneath him. Rhett could hear his heart pounding. In a flash, the entity melted through the ceiling. The otherworldly darkness in the room faded to its normal nighttime darkness. Rhett's heart was still pounding in his chest.

This was more than just a haunting. The entity he had to deal with was no human spirit. This was something of a much higher caliber. Its power was unmatched with anything Rhett had ever encountered in his life.

This was a demon.


	2. Chapter 2

Rhett raced home, locking his client's door on the way out of their house. He was absolutely not prepared for an exorcism - at least not one for something as powerful as the demonic entity that attached itself to that house. The second he got home, he searched through his kits. He had items for every religion he had known about, and many of them he had used before on many occasions.

"Shit," he spat. "None of these are strong enough." He threw himself into his computer chair and scrolled through his contact list on his email. After a couple minutes, he found the person who could help him. "Davin could help," he whispered, clicking on his name and beginning his message. Davin was an old friend of his. He was studying world religions and had helped him rid of special case spirits and entities before. He was currently in Italy visiting the Vatican. If there was anything that could get rid of this incredible entity, it would be there. Rhett's fingers burned like fire as he typed out his email:

\- Hi Davin,

I hope you're doing well. I always look forward to hearing about your trips.

I understand you're staying around Vatican City. I'm on a case right now in Connecticut. There's a demonic entity in the house that's stronger than anything I've ever seen. If you could send me something from there, holy water, a book of blessings, a papal cross, anything that could be of use to this family you'd be a literal life saver!

Hope to hear back soon,

Rhett -

Sweat beaded from every pore on his face. His eyes were fixed in open space. His thoughts could not stray from that family. That house. That terrifying demon that had plagued them and fed off of them. He had to talk to them. Make sure everything was okay while they tried to take solace. He dug out his phone from his pocket, along with the note that was on the family's door. He wasted no time punching the numbers in and pressing send. He tapped a finger against the back of the phone as he prayed for an answer. Soon enough, a voice was heard.

"Hello?" It was a woman's voice.

"Christine? It's Rhett McLaughlin. I'm calling to see how everyone's doing. You're all at the hotel?"

The woman sighed in relief. "Yes. The girls are both sleeping. This is the longest they've gone without getting up in a long time. My husband's right here. Let me put you on speaker."

"Hi, Mr. McLaughlin!" a man chimed. "Matt here. Have you been to the house?"

"Yes," Rhett replied with a heavy breath. "You guys made the right call getting out of there. You have something serious on your case."

"That makes me feel a little better, knowing we're safe over here," Christine breathed. "Who knows what could've happened if we were still at the house!"

"How many ghosts did you see?" Matt asked. "Was there a lot?"

"To be honest, sir, there were no dead people haunting your home," Rhett said, half of him not wanting to reveal what was actually there.

"None?" Matt replied.

"There's obviously something in that house! Did you check all the rooms?" Christine stammered.

"I only needed to open one door to find the culprit," Rhett admitted. He took a long, deep breath. "What you have in your house... is a demon. A very, very powerful demon."

The couple gasped. "How on Earth did we get a demon?" Christine asked. "We're a good Christian household!"

"It's hard to say for sure," Rhett replied calmly. "This one seems to be able to create its own inter-dimensional voids at will. It could be that it was drawn in by some vulnerability in your family. Can you tell me how this entity has affected you and your family?"

"I've been pushed down the stairs," Matt immediately answered. "Twice. The second time I broke my arm and had to go to the hospital."

"I've heard... well, I think we all hear voices in the house," Christine mentioned softly. "We've all talked about large shadowy figures around the walls. Many times we... see them on the ceiling."

"What about the girls?" Rhett asked. He held his breath. He couldn't imagine what horrible things they could have encountered. No child should have to deal with a demon in their house. He hoped they weren't the ones targeted by the damned thing.

"Kayla has... mentioned seeing it in their room," Matt whispered. "She's usually the one who comes running to us first. She hasn't slept in their room for weeks. She's scared to death of even stepping in there."

"Eliza, our oldest, seems to have changed a lot since we moved in," Christine whispered. "She used to be so cheerful. Now she walks around like a zombie. Barely alive. Barely awake. She's sick almost all the time, and spends a lot of time in bed. When she's not, she breaks into fits of anger. I'm most worried about her."

Rhett's heart sank. She definitely sounded like the one the demon was mainly feeding off of. It's very possible that she may have become possessed or worse if they stayed in that house. He would have to go back and take a look in the kids' room next time he goes back.

He dreaded the idea of going back.

"Well, I have a buddy over in Italy right now. I asked him for some religious items that could exorcise a high-level demonic entity. Once I hear or get something back from him, I'll let you guys know."

"Oh, thank you," cheered Christine. "Thank you so much."

"Let us know if you need anything else from us. Thanks for keeping us updated," Matt added.

"Of course," Rhett said with a nod. "Have a safe night."

"You too!" they both exclaimed. Rhett hung up feeling a little better, knowing everyone had been doing okay since they left. He had to go back to that house to check the bedrooms, however. He checked the clock on his computer screen. It was almost 10:30. He still had time to go back and look around upstairs.

He decided since he knew what he was now up against, he should come more prepared. He collected one of his kits and unzipped it. Inside was a Bible, a small bottle half-filled with holy water, packets of iodized salt, a rosary, and a necklace with a crystal cross. He grabbed the necklace and clasped it around his head. He kept a series of lucky charms. Since the family was Catholic, he found it appropriate to take the one associated with their religion. As powerful as the demon had seemed, there was still no harm in trying to protect himself with whatever method he could. He zipped the kit back up and strapped it to his back. He was ready.


	3. Chapter 3

Rhett arrived to the house with strong, determined steps. He unlocked the door without hesitation, but did not yet go inside. He clutched his cross and closed his eyes. With a few deep breaths, he pictured a bright light cascading over his face, chest, and then arms and legs. The aura of light grew wider and brighter with every meditated breath.

Once he felt his psychic force field was strong enough, he shoved the door open. The house filled with echoes of its slam against the wall. He scurried over to the door on his tiptoes, cringing at the loud bang. He gently pulled the door to a close, and then peeked at the wall to make sure he hadn't made a dent. He sighed in relief when he realized he hadn't. Thank goodness he didn't have to explain another piece of bad news to the family.

He held his charm again and marched up the stairs. His kit jingled on his back with every step. He used his phone flashlight this time - at least going up the stairs. He didn't want to take any chances with this demon around. He stopped once he reached the loft. His flashlight beamed down the hallway, revealing two doors. Down the other way was two more doors. He shut off the flashlight and used his senses to find the right room.

Just as he shut his eyes, a chill swept past. A wave of goosebumps rippled through his body. The demon was near. He started feeling sick to his stomach from knotting up so much. The thick air grew colder, but Rhett kept his eyes squeezed shut.

"Bright light," he whispered to himself, "shine upon me." He repeated the phrase a couple times, but the nauseating feeling inside him only got stronger. Angrily, Rhett shoved his arms out straight in front of him. His big green eyes shot open and bore into the darkness.

"Get out of my space!" he shouted.

A pause. The air suddenly grew still. The ambient sounds from outside muted as if time itself stopped.

"I said... get back," Rhett demanded once more. His thick eyebrows angled downwards, making him seem much more menacing than he really was. In that moment, he was glad he had a tendency to seem intimidating upon a first impression. His extreme height often gave others a negative connotation, as if being tall meant dangerous or violent. He usually felt the need to hunch while in public so as to not come across as scary. This time, however, he used his biology to his full advantage. He stood up straight and kept his broad chest puffed out. His long arms stayed put in the air in front of him, elongating his form as he pointed toward the entity.

After a brief moment, it seemed to move back. The pure black, shapeless form began standing out more as Rhett's eyes grew used to the darkness inside. Once he saw those bright blue eyes flash from it, he knew for sure it was there. Before he could say anything else to the demon, it vanished in a black mist. Although it appeared to be gone for the moment, Rhett could still feel its heavy presence. It seemed to follow him into the room that called to him.

Rhett's heart grew heavy at the sight of the room. Two twin beds framed a single window between them, illuminating the dark room with a slight amount of moonlight. The violet area rug was flipped up in one of the corners, as if someone had tripped over it last time someone was in here.

Rhett let his vision show him the strongest memories from this room. The being it came from was very young and blossoming in purity and innocence. The room suddenly felt a lot bigger, as if he suddenly shrunk down a few feet in height. However, his eyes were still his own. Thunder crashed as a bolt of lightning flashed just outside the window. Rhett jumped at the vision. He turned to one of the beds. What was once an empty bed now appeared to him as occupied by a ten year old girl. Her long, dark hair flayed about her pillow as she lied on her back. The covers had been pulled halfway down her torso. Due to the hellish temperature flooding the room, it was clear she was overheated. Rhett felt a sudden chill on the nape of his neck. He lifted his gaze to see another void on the ceiling spilling a mist of darkness into the room. Below it was the demon again, hovering flat above the sleeping child. Wisps of white and gold emitted from her chest and were sucked into the terrifying entity.

Without warning, its head snapped in Rhett's direction. Its huge blue eyes bore into him like fire. Rhett shuffled away from where he stood, and then turned to see that it wasn't him it was staring at, but the other child in the room. The girl was no older than six, as she was much smaller than her sister. Her big, glimmering eyes peered over her covers. Her little hands grasped the duvet as tightly as they could, and shook rapidly at the sight before her. She was brave to maintain eye contact with this demon, rather than obscure herself completely under her blankets. It was possible, Rhett thought, that this child could very well be a medium like him. He would have to speak with her another time.

He turned back to the demon, who continued hovering motionlessly as it stared down the smaller child. After a minute or so, it snapped to the wall. With its spiderlike legs, it crawled back into the void. The vision faded away, and Rhett was back in the empty bedroom.

"Gosh..." he gasped. "That poor girl!" He wiped the wetness that had gathered in his eyes before turning back to the door to the hallway. But it wasn't a door that he saw. The demon was there instead, standing there and watching that entire time. In a more human-like shape, it didn't seem as menacing. As tall as it stood, its height did not match that of the medium before it.

"What do you want with Eliza?" Rhett asked. "The girl that sleeps in that bed." He pointed hard at the bed on the right, where he had envisioned the demon hovering overhead. "I know you can hear me," he barked. "You can understand me. Tell me why you target her!"

"She let me," it hissed softly. Its tenor voice reverberated throughout the room. Rhett wanted badly to punch the entity in the face, but he knew it would be for naught.

"You need to leave her alone," Rhett demanded. "She hasn't even hit puberty yet! She's got a life to live, and you're trying to take that away from her!" He whipped his kit off his back and snatched the rosary inside of it. He punched his arm out toward the demon, dangling the rosary's cross beneath his knuckles. "You are not welcomed here! Return to the depths from whence you came! I hereby bless this home with the power of the almighty. Fill this house with everlasting light!"

Sparks flickered on the demon's dagger-like nails. It winced mildly at the pinch of pain. It was obvious to Rhett now, how desperately he needed something stronger to leave even a scratch on this entity. With a haunting snicker, the demon leapt at Rhett with its nails pointed out. The white light that had protected Rhett had gone out in a flash. He ducked and tumbled out of the way, only getting a single scrape on his shoulder from one of the demon's claws.

Not wasting any time, Rhett sprinted for the door and trampled down the staircase. With the kit still in his hand, he ripped open a packet of iodized salt with his teeth. He sprinkled it down the steps behind him. He stopped at the front door and grabbed the bottle of holy water. He didn't want to waste time taking the cap off, so instead he chucked it at the linoleum floor, shattering it to pieces. The liquid inside splattered around the doorway.

Rhett still felt the chill down his back. Not a good sign. He turned to the door and got jumped again. The demon wrapped itself around his torso, riding his back with its claws deep in his shoulders. Rhett screeched in pain as he scrambled to grab one more item from his kit. He finally got hold of the Bible inside and smacked the demon behind him on the head with it. It wasn't typically how that item was used in dealing with demons, but it did the trick for the time being. He scurried out the door and slammed it behind him. His hands flailed all over him until he found the house key. He quickly locked it up and made it to his car in one piece. He didn't make the time to breathe until after he was in the safety of his own home.


	4. Chapter 4

It didn't take long for Rhett to become comfortable at home. He docked his phone on his speaker and played his Merle Haggard playlist. He hummed to himself as he wiggled into his recliner. His tea finally cooled down to his ideal drinking temperature. The earthy chamomile aroma that steamed from his mug immediately made him sink against the soft faux leather. He closed his eyes and took a slow sip, careful to not spill any of it. He hummed again as he put the mug down. His toes pressed against the thick-fibered carpet, making the recliner rock ever so gently. He was at peace at last.

"Silver wings slowly fading out of sight," he sang, tapping a finger against his armrest to the tempo of the song. He reached for his mug again, but stopped when a pair of hands snaked over his shoulders. The chill on his spine came back. The lights in the room dimmed low. The aroma of his chamomile tea that once filled the air turned into a smell of ash.

"Hello again," hissed the demon. Rhett didn't need to see it to know it had a devilish grin spread across its face. The reverberation of its voice sent shivers down Rhett's body.

"What are you doing here?" Rhett asked gruffly. "I told you to leave!" The demon's sharp fingers glided gently in circles on Rhett's shoulders. It tickled, yet also burned just a tiny bit. The pain from the scratches and puncture wounds the demon had given him earlier seemed to fade away to nothing.

"I did. And now I'm here." Its voice almost sounded more like a purr than a hiss at this point, which gave Rhett a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. Its hands began kneading his upper back, making his spine click a couple times.

"Wha... What are you doing?" Rhett asked, trying not to let himself enjoy the massage this dark entity was giving him. That's just what it wanted, for him to become vulnerable enough to take control. Being a medium made him vulnerable enough as it is, but it would make matters worse if he succumbed to its efforts.

"I'm a high-ranking demon. I do what I want." Its hands moved faster and squeezed harder. It was growing more difficult for Rhett to just ignore it.

"But you attacked me not even an hour ago. Why are you suddenly acting so... uh... not aggressive?"

The demon chuckled deeply. The whole house filled with its haunting echo. It bent down until its mouth reached Rhett's ear and whispered, "I don't need to be aggressive to get to you." Its forked tongue slipped out and tickled Rhett's ear lobe, paralyzing every nerve in his body like a tidal wave.

This was just what he feared. He made himself a target by banishing it from the child. This really was a powerful entity.

"Why did you choose... me?" Rhett coughed, trying to straighten his posture. The demon's hands stopped moving, and Rhett let out an involuntary sigh. They tapped on the base of Rhett's neck for a moment as it thought in silence.

"I... guess because... you're the first human I've encountered in the, what, millions of years of my existence... who can actually talk to me."

Rhett blinked confoundedly. He didn't really know what to say. Here he was, getting massaged by a demon who finally found someone to talk to for the first time in its life. Or was this just another way to bring his guard down and let it in? How on Earth was he supposed to react to this odd situation?

"Wait..." Rhett finally spoke. "Are you saying you're... lonely?" He wanted to turn and face the demon, but he still had a sliver of fear affiliated with them. He couldn't bear to look at them just yet.

"What?!" The demon spat. "No! I'm not... I have plenty of other demonic... you know, friends... or whatever you humans want to call them. It's just... different."

Rhett cocked a smug eyebrow. He could hardly believe it, but this demon actually sounded sincere. It was strange. Very strange.

"So... then it sounds to me like you want a human friend," he chimed. He hesitated for a second, half of him urging to be kind to this demon. "I can... be nice to you... be your friend... but only if you don't put me in danger. That means no attacking me, no possessing me, no... soul... sucking... or whatever that horrible thing was that you did to Eliza." He finally spun to face the demon. It was important that eye contact was held for this. He needed to see just how far the entity would go with this charade.

They removed their hands and dropped them by their sides. They were in a more human form this time. Not only in shape, but in color too. They took on a male figure, quite lean in form. Their skin was lightly tanned, and their hair was swept upwards like a flame, but the color was the same dark brown Eliza had. Those big, blue eyes that haunted Rhett earlier had become more subdued, more human in size. The pupils, however, were shaped like pinstripes. The irises reflected light and glowed around them, much like a cat's eyes. The entity wore all black from the long-sleeved button down to their skinny jeans, and then to their tied tight combat boots. Rhett's heart did backflips at the unexpected sight. He restrained from speaking, as he was waiting for the demon's response.

They didn't answer immediately, though, as they were taken aback by how this human reacted to seeing them in a human form. They even gasped softly, regardless of the fact that they didn't need to breathe. They were still technically non-corporeal, after all. They only showed this version of themself to Rhett in all their years of existing. If they had a heart, it would probably be beating way too hard for them to handle.

"I... yeah. I could... live with that," they finally muttered, just coherent enough to be heard. "You know, until I get bored with you and move onto a different target."

That addition didn't sit very well with Rhett. "You swear it?"

"On the horn of Satan." They raised a hand up before dropping it back down. Rhett let his façade of seriousness falter for a split second, and a tiny smile twitched on the corner of his lips. He cleared his throat to calm himself down.

"So then, what do these 'friends' of yours call you in the depths of Hell?"

"Um, I'm not really supposed to give a human my true name. Strict rules and all."

"Okay. Then give me a fake name you want me to call you," Rhett suggested. "You know, like a nickname."

"I'm terrible at names. Don't make me pick one." They crossed their arms and hung their head to the side.

"Then you're gonna have to stick with whatever nonsense I'm gonna call you."

"Oh great flames of Lucifer, just don't make it stupid or I'll call the deal off and throw you off a bridge." Rhett squeaked a defensive giggle, holding his arms out pacifyingly.

"How about... Link?"

"Link?"

"Because... you can travel back and forth between dimensions at will, wherever you want. I've seen how other demons use these kind of portals, but they usually are attached to a piece of land or object. You're basically an autonomous link between worlds." He raised his eyebrows with a smile. His cheeks bunched up above his golden beard.

"Link..." the demon repeated. They gave a satisfied pout. "That works." They flashed their pointed teeth at Rhett with a lopsided grin. "And what should I call you?"

"Rhett." Instinctively, he held his hand out in front of him for a friendly handshake. He let it linger there, motionless, for a second or two before retracting it with a nervous chuckle.

"No," Link burst. They held out their own hand. Their nails were no longer terrifying, animalistic claws, but they were still relatively long and pointed for human standards. They even presented as dark violet, as if they were painted. Their hands overall seemed large and soft. Not at all what one might expect from a demon's hands. Rhett's focus switched back and forth from the hand to Link's face. His own hand shook as he moved it closer, eventually meeting Link's. The demon took control of the handshake with a mighty squeeze, and moved their hands decisively three times. Rhett had to admit... he was impressed.


	5. Chapter 5

The night was already half over, so Rhett finally decided to get ready for bed. His feet scuffed against the floor as he slouched to his room. Link hovered close behind. Rhett turned and jolted at the sight of them. He'd have to get used to having this entity around, since there was nothing he could do about them for the time being. It certainly wasn't healthy to have a demonic entity around all the time - especially one of such high caliber. Once he got what he needed, he could banish them and move on with his life. His clients would be happy and demon-free, and Rhett would be able to get some sleep at night.

Link watched intently as Rhett took out his pajamas. Rhett's eyes frequently flicked over to Link's direction.

"Uh... I don't feel very comfortable being... watched... while I'm changing," he finally spoke. He hoped that was all he had to say for Link to get the picture, but there wasn't even a budge from the demon. "Can I get some privacy, please?"

"Sure," Link said, tilting their head to the side. They hovered out of the room, leaving a dark cloud in their tracks that evaporated into the air. Rhett started taking his shirt off once Link appeared to be gone. The shirt obscured his vision for just a quick moment, and then there they were. Standing partly in the doorway was Link, still staring at him with their glowing eyes in the darkened hallway. Rhett could swear Link was more terrifying like this than they were in the house. A wave of goosebumps tickled and pricked Rhett's skin.

"When I asked for privacy," Rhett sighed, "I didn't mean watch me from further away!" Link squinted, tilting their head yet again. "I really don't like being watched while I get dressed. Please wait for me in another room or something because you're really freaking me out."

"Occupational habit," Link rasped, pulling on the chest pockets of their shirt with a devilish smile. Their loud snicker echoed down the hallway as they moved out of sight. Rhett felt his stomach drop as his skin grew pale. He shivered the feeling away as he continued getting ready. He decided to do so hastily, so as to diminish the amount of time that could possibly be used for Link to stare at him again.

He got dressed in record time, and then leapt into bed. He scrambled to get underneath all of the covers, and then rushed to throw them over his head after turning the light off. He held his breath as he listened to his environment. He closed his eyes to see if he could see Link through the blankets with his psychic sense. The second his eyelids met, that chill hit him for seemingly the millionth time that night. They were definitely here. Half of him wanted to see where exactly they were, but the other half was too scared to find out. Sure, they established a sort of peace treaty, but this was still a demon. He couldn't trust them.

He decided over his better judgment to pull the covers down and peek into the darkness of his room. He felt like a child again, fearing the monster under his bed or the mysterious voices he kept hearing while trying to sleep. The only difference now is that there really is a monster this time, and instead of under his bed they were at the foot of his bed. Their eyes glowing blue in the void of darkness that was his room. There was absolutely no way anyone could sleep like this.

"Oh, great fucking cheeseballs, must you be like this? Surely you have something better to do than stare at me like you want to kill me all night!"

"It's fun." They beamed a wide, toothy grin. Their razor-sharp teeth glimmered in the dark. Rhett's heart was racing under the covers.

"Watch... Watch TV or something! Let me assure you, you will have much more fun watching some late night dramas or sitcoms than standing at the foot of my bed for eight hours straight."

"Nothing satisfies me more than scaring the life out of humans," slowly hissed the demon.

Rhett frowned and launched himself upright. "I said no danger! You could give me a heart attack!"

Link rolled their eyes. "Oh please. If I really wanted to put you into cardiac arrest I would do it with a snap of my fingers. You're in no danger." They put their fists on their hips and huffed. They marched to the far corner next to the window and threw themself onto the floor. They arranged their legs in a crisscross position and leaned against the wall. "I guess I'll just watch you from over here then," Link grumbled. This was much better to Rhett. It was still frightening to see those eyes in the dark, but at least it felt more casual and not so ominous. He wondered if this would be an every night thing.

Eventually, Rhett did end up falling asleep. However, he had probably the strangest dream he'd ever had.

He was floating high up off the ground, but he couldn't see it. The world around him was pitch black. Only a beam of light shone on him from above. The world was silent. Absolutely silent. Rhett wasn't entirely comfortable with this level of sensory deprivation, but it wasn't terrible. It was like balancing in a strange limbo of comfort. He wished dearly that his feet could touch the ground, but at the same time he didn't want to know exactly how high he was. His phobia was definitely at play. He struggled with this for only a moment, until a sudden voice reverberated in the void of space. Rhett felt a light tingling sensation dancing on the end of his every nerve. From the darkness in front of him, a giant face emerged as it got closer to Rhett's light. Pale cheekbones stood out as deep shadows filled where their eyes would be. With a clap of thunder, the being's eyes opened, reflecting bright blue cat eyes. Rhett tried to run, but his feet continued to dangle in the air. Another huge clap of thunder shook him and rang in his ears, causing Rhett to wake up in a sweat.

He vibrated awake and shot himself up into a sitting position. He looked around the room frantically, tossing his head side to side. After a while, he concluded that he was indeed alone in there. He then noticed that it was pouring rain outside. Thunder and lightning crashed once more. The thunder was the loudest he'd heard in a long time. Its energy made the trinkets on his shelves rattle. Exhausted, Rhett sighed and flopped back onto the mattress. On the ceiling was a pair of glowing blue eyes, which made Rhett jump and wriggle his legs.

"Geez, Link! What the hell?!" He buried his head under his covers.

"Nightmare?" Link asked. Their tone was unreadable. Rhett couldn't tell if they were being facetious or sincere.

"Yeah," Rhett grumbled. "No doubt because of you."

"Well that's presumptuous of you."

Rhett flipped his blankets back off him as he glared at the demon above him. "That's what you do! Whether you mean to or not! It's in your nature!"

Link crawled down the wall and sat beside Rhett on the bed. "How would you know what's in my nature?"

Rhett scoffed. "I'm a medium. I deal with spirits, demons, and other entities not only for a living, but just in my daily life! I'm forty years old, Link! That's forty years of experience!"

Link's eyebrows bounced on their forehead as they scooted closer. "And how many years of experience do you think I have?" they hissed. Rhett's stomach knotted. "I've _never _been human. I've spent nearly all of eternity - that's right, _eternity_ \- being a demon. Not just occupationally, Rhett, but _my_ whole life too. I think I would know if I induced a nightmare or not!" Rhett's temples beaded with sweat. His stomach twisted even more. He felt like he was about to puke. "So tell me, Rhett... Was I in this dream?"

Rhett hesitated, gulping to keep his nausea at bay. "Yeah," he whispered.

"Then I didn't do it. Nightmares induced by a demon are concocted by the demon themselves, formed by the deepest fears of the unconscious individual."

"What if... the fear... is of the demon?" Rhett whispered, turning only his eyes to gauge the demon's reaction.

They were quiet at first. Just the sound of the storm outside filled the silence. "You're not that scared of me!" Link spat. "We wouldn't be having this conversation if that was the case. Like you said, you've dealt with beings like me your whole life."

"Not like you," Rhett whispered, moving his gaze to his hands clutching the comforter. "You're much more powerful than anything I've come across."

The demon watched their human in a baffled silence. Out of thin air, they summoned a glass of ice cold water and handed it to Rhett. Rhett turned to them, aghast at the action.

"It'll help your... nausea... problem," they mumbled. Rhett took the glass ever so gently. Even in the dark, he could see the intricate craftsmanship in the glasswork. The edges were faceted, with little red gems embedded inside the layers of glass reflecting light from the moon and lightning outside. The condensation on the outside of the glass gave it an extra shimmer.

"Thank you," he squeaked softly before taking a sip of the cold liquid. It sent a wonderful icy sensation down his esophagus as he swallowed. Within seconds, the knotting in his stomach subsided. The water was absolutely perfect. He placed the glass gently on the nightstand beside him.

"The nausea thing is something I can't help, unfortunately. For some reason, our presence can be quite overwhelming for you humans sometimes." They scratched their neck subconsciously. It wasn't like demons could feel itchy, as they don't have a nervous system that would make them sensitive in that manner. This was simply a habit they picked up on over the decades.

"Well," Rhett chuckled. "You are a bit overwhelming, to be honest."

"I can't help it," Link laughed. "Millenia of certain behaviors etched into me. I... I know the staring is a lot. I'll... I'll try to... whatever. You know, tone it down."

"Thanks, Link," Rhett squeaked. He reached slowly beside him and lightly patted Link's back.

Link breathed a giggle. "It's still weird that you are able to touch me... That's so crazy."

"Crazier things could happen." Rhett smiled. He felt a nice warmth fill his chest and cheeks. He actually felt... comfortable with this entity of darkness and torment. It was an odd sensation indeed. "So, when talking about nightmares, you implied that demons know the deepest fears of individual humans. Is that like a sense? Like how I can see you when most other humans can't?"

"Well, all _demons_ have that power... I don't think other entities do, but I don't hang around those freaks to know for sure." Rhett laughed. Link turned and smiled. They never had someone laugh at something they said before. It felt strange, unlike anything they have ever felt before. Not in a really, really long time.

"So what are my deepest fears?" Rhett asked, shifting his body to completely face the demon. Link smiled quizzingly.

"You, my friend, are terrified of heights and the taste of blood. You refuse to eat anything that even has the smallest hint of it in your food. Liver, heart, or any kind of rare meat is off-limits to you." Rhett tilted his head as his eyebrows raised up high. "You first realized your acrophobia as a young child... about... six years old. You visited a lighthouse and cried when you reached the top and looked down. Fascinatingly, that fear has become your curse, as your height reaches higher than the majority of your kind." Link smirked at their skill.

"I feel like _I'm_ the one getting a psychic reading for once," he chuckled. "How do you know all that? About the lighthouse? The liver? That's so accurate, yet you put almost no effort into that diagnosis!"

"That's from billions of years worth of practice," Link boasted. They leaned forward, careful not to get too close. "Think you could read _me_?"

Rhett let out a breathy chuckle. "I've never done a reading on a demon before, but I can try."

He took the demon's hand in his. It still shocked him how soft it was. He focused his energy on their... soul? Whatever it was that gave a demon their life and personality. His reading was sort of blurred, like so much was happening all at once. It would take a lot of effort to slow that chaos down and isolate just a single trait or memory.

"I sense... a lot of heat. It's comforting to you. There's a... body of water nearby. Weird looking... trees. Florida maybe? I can't tell why you're there, but I sense a lot of comfort, like you fulfilled something important to you."

"Wow! That's very good!" Link chirped. His glowing eyes didn't look so scary anymore. Now they were filled with childlike wonder. "I did go to Florida recently. It was something I had always wanted to do, but I was always so busy with work that I never got to go. It wasn't until I managed to complete a double possession - which was _terribly_ difficult, might I add - that I got the time to go."

"It was like a vacation then?" Rhett asked. "And a _double_ possession? What is that?"

"I had two targets named for possession, and due to being overstressed, I decided to try to hit two birds with one stone, so to speak. Split myself and possessed them both at the same time. Earned me some extra time to relax in Miami." Link laid back with their hands behind their head against the headboard. Their smile hadn't faltered a bit.

"So even with half your power, both parts of you were able to perform the possession?!"

"I could do it with a hundredth of my power, baby." They winked with a grin. "It's the splitting that's the hard part."

A wave of goosebumps flooded down his body at that remark. The level of power this demon had was absolutely incredible. Rhett was learning so much. Most importantly, Link was right. He wasn't that scared of them. There was still that fear looming in his head that at any time, Link could revoke their arrangement and kill him effortlessly... but after talking with them like this so candidly, he didn't think they would.

"Well... uh..." Link mumbled, "I should let you get your sleep. I'll try watching TV or something like you suggested." Link slithered off the bed and stood upright, actually walking like a human to the hallway. The saunter in their swagger gave Rhett positive vibes. Link was actually happy.

"Have fun!" Rhett chirped as he snuggled back in his covers. He felt a light touch his soul that he didn't call upon. It tingled his insides, making his legs squirm joyfully in the warm confines of the blankets. Sleep fell upon him like an autumn leaf floating down from its branch and softly touching the soft, dew-moistened grass.


	6. Chapter 6

Rhett woke up hours later than he usually did, but he attributed that to his late-night interruption that led to a surprisingly pleasant conversation with a demon. Speaking of which, Rhett couldn't sense the demon in his room. He didn't bother changing just yet, so he wandered out into the hallway in his blue striped boxer shorts and white tank top.

He heard whimpering coming from the living room. The closer he got to the source, the louder it got. Link was curled up into a ball on the couch as the TV played commercials.

"Are you... crying?" Rhett asked, completely taken aback that a demon could express or even have emotions necessary for crying.

"Shut up," Link snapped, wiping the glittering tears from their eyes.

"What were you watching that got you upset?"

"They left their keys on the counter! Friends is over!" Link screeched. They wiped their face and fanned themself with their hands. As they calmed down, their void-black body slowly morphed to their human variation.

"Ohhh... That makes... sense...?" Rhett gently slid the remote off the couch and powered the television off.

"Don't tell anyone you saw me like that," Link coughed. "I have a reputation to maintain." Rhett snickered through his nose. "I'm serious! If any of those goons knew I had a soft side they'd throw me down! I'd be done on Earth, in Hell, any other dimension!"

"Okay. I see," Rhett said softly. "Don't want the prince of Hell to lose his throne."

"Coronet," Link corrected. "And... try not to be confused by how I present myself. I may appear to be male to human standards, but entities like me don't actually have... a gender."

Rhett raised his eyebrows at the correction. "Oh! So... would you prefer I use more neutral... pronouns? Like people who are gender-neutral or nonbinary might?"

Link shot finger guns at Rhett and clicked with their tongue. "If that's no trouble."

Rhett shook his head with his lips pursed. "No. Not at all." He sat beside Link on the couch and patted their shoulder. Link's eyes watched each deliberate touch. The corner of their lips twitched, but Rhett couldn't tell what kind of reaction it was. "So... I guess... if... it's not too personal to ask... Since you as an entity aren't male or female, does your... um, you know, human... appearance... have..." He moved a hand to his lap and wiggled his index finger, gesturing what he wanted to ask without actually asking.

Link stared questioningly at the human. "Why? What purpose would me having genitals serve? We don't digest anything, and nor do we reproduce through intercourse."

"So that's a no...?"

"Damn, Rhett, no! You act like you want me to have one," Link let out a high-pitched giggle. In an instant, they dropped the smile and glared through Rhett's soul with hooded eyes. Smoke seemed to emanate from the glowing irises. "You do, don't you?" they rasped. Their voice's echo churned inside Rhett as if there were birds chasing each other in there.

Rhett stuttered. His face flushed red. "Um... I..." Link cocked an eyebrow at him as a toothy, lopsided grin stretched across their face. A single sharp tooth glimmered between their lips. Rhett's heart was pounding like mad, and Rhett couldn't tell if it was fear or lust that was causing it.

"It is so much fun to screw with you," Link laughed, dropping their poker face in an instant. Rhett's heart slowly calmed back down. He hadn't realized his psychic shield - his white light - had gone up all by itself. However, the demon seemed to notice. They squinted at him.

"What?" Rhett asked softly.

"You're trying to put a barrier up. I can see it." Their eyes glinted upwards. Rhett looked up as well, but then remembered he could only see it with his eyes closed. The second his eyelids shut, he was blinded by the shining, angelic light casting down on him. "You haven't done that since you showed up at the house last night. What's that about?"

"I... I don't know! I didn't mean to put it up..." Rhett squeaked, shifting away just a smidge. He closed his eyes again, trying to put the shield down. No matter how hard he tried, it didn't budge.

"Okay, I get the picture. I'll buzz off for a bit. Go torment some rando for a while. I'll be back in a few hours, days, or whatever." Link jumped off the couch and snapped their fingers, instantly creating a void for them to make their exit. Rhett shot a hand out at them.

"Don't do that!" Rhett barked. He stopped himself from touching Link's arm, but the demon complied anyway.

"I am a demon with quotas to fill. If I can't do them here, then I'll go elsewhere," Link explained. "That damn light of yours is keeping me from expressing myself the way I want to. Until that's under control, I'm going to find someone else to torment."

"I'd rather you not!" Rhett urged, finally touching Link's arm. The light protecting him singed a black handprint onto the skin, exposing the true demonic form behind the façade. He startled himself with his own ability. Link, however, did not seem the slightest bit fazed, regardless of the harm it should have caused them. "You attached yourself to _me_. The last thing I want you to do is find more innocent people to hurt. If you're gonna torment someone for work or your own personal needs, do it to me."

Link shot a sideways glance at him, grinning slyly. "Are you sure?" they purred. The low frequencies in their voice rumbled through the house. Rhett's arm hair stood on end as goosebumps rippled down them. He gulped as he nodded decisively.


	7. Chapter 7

Rhett's heart palpitated as the two of them stood in silence. Like the first time he saw Link, he felt frozen in place, completely unable to move. He hadn't even realized he was holding his breath. He did notice, however, that the room got instantaneously colder. The bright sun from outside quickly became overcast, dimming the light that was once shining into the house.

With a snap of their fingers, Link made the void disappear. Rhett recalled just how powerful this demon was in that moment. Just a simple motion called forth the biggest thing that set them apart from any other demon. If they could pull that off just from a little snap, Rhett could only imagine what they could do if actual effort was implemented. He immediately regretted what he allowed Link to do.

Link turned on their heels to face Rhett. Their eyes grew brighter. Not just their irises, but their retinas had also become blue. Only those cat-eye slits of pupils were the only proof that they were looking at him. Their head tilted downwards, casting a nightmarish shadow over those deep-set eye sockets. They took a step towards Rhett. From their foot upward crawled a blackness that wiped away Link's human appearance. Another step. The curtains waved and the blinds snapped shut, shrouding the house even further into darkness. Rhett jolted at the sharp sound of them all moving in unison. Another step. The trinkets on his shelves, as well as the paintings and photographs Rhett kept on the living room walls all rattled and clattered. Rhett instinctively stepped backwards and scrunched his shoulders up, as if trying to hide his neck with them. With one more step, Link lifted his hands out and up, lifting Rhett off the floor. In just a couple more steps, Link made it to just a few inches from their target. Rhett's suspension prohibited him from running. Link pulled Rhett in with a gentle finger motion in the space between them. They stopped when his nose nearly touched their own.

Rhett could not tear his eyes away from Link's, no matter how hard he tried. He gulped audibly as his heart beated even faster and harder than before. "Wh... What do you want me to do?" he whispered. Link grinned wide and hummed a sinister chuckle.

"You fool," they purred. They gently stretched their clawed hand on Rhett's chest, just above his heart. "You should've asked me what _I_ was gonna do!" They tapped the tips of their claws on Rhett's chest, exposing bits of light from underneath his skin. Rhett squeaked sharply as his eyes flicked between the tiny light rays and Link's face.

"What is that?!" Rhett struggled to ask. Link scrunched their nose as they scratched a circle from the dots of light. More light trailed behind their fingers, and then shone more brightly when the circle was complete.

"Shut up and hold still," Link demanded as they closed their fingertips together from the edge of the circle to the center. They removed their hand, and the light immediately turned to darkness. It seemed to sink deep into Rhett's very core, and Rhett was entirely terrified. He was helpless, completely under the demon's power. He couldn't tell if this was the part where he was deceived and will now be killed, but he sure felt like it was.

He squeezed his eyes shut, afraid for his dear life. He summoned his white light in attempt to protect himself, but it kept fading away. He persisted, squeezing his eyelids shut harder, and using as much power as he could to bring it back. It soon blossomed back, circling around him. He didn't yet notice, but the symbol on his chest was glowing again, too.

"What the crap..." Link mumbled, hiding themself from the intense shield. "Stop!" They shouted. "Make it fucking stop!"

Rhett's eyes burst open, and he sighed in relief that his shield was working again. His feet danced in the air until they reached the floorboards. The light beaming through his chest slowly twinkled away. Rhett grimaced at the scratches ruining his shirt.

"This was one of my favorite pajama shirts..." he whined.

"Forget the _shirt_," Link yelled. "What. The Hell! Was that?!"

"What were you trying to do?" Rhett asked, more angrily this time.

"I was trying to get _rid_ of that damn light! That stupid shield keeping me from getting to you!" They poked a sharp claw right in the middle of the symbol they created on Rhett's chest, stabbing a bit into him while doing so.

"Wait... What do you mean 'get to me'? You said last night -"

"I know what I said last night! And I'm a demon of my word! But I can't feel comfortable here knowing you're not in control of your own... psychic... whatever it is." Link growled and stomped away, crawled up the wall, and then lied down on the ceiling. Rhett pulled his shirt over his head, removing it. He gazed at the pentagram on his chest with a pout. His fingers faintly traced the scratch marks. He was surprised and thankful that they didn't bleed out.

He stepped lightly to Link's corner, looking up at them with scrunched eyebrows. The demon above was curled into a ball. Their knees were held up against their chest.

"Come down here," Rhett said. His voice was gentle and reassuring. Link popped their head up and paused before crawling back down to the floor. They waved their arms out, and their appearance morphed back into their human form. Rhett mentally thanked them for that, as talking so casually to a demon in their true form was quite disconcerting.

"What do you want?" Link grumbled. They threw their hands onto their hips as their gaze stayed glued to the ground. Rhett patted the couch before sitting down. Link took the hint and joined him.

"What is it about this light that scares you?" Rhett asked. He was careful to keep his voice calm.

"It's... nothing really."

"No. There's a reason why you and other demons stay away from it. Psychic mediums like me have used it for years to keep you and other dark entities at bay. But that's the thing. It's something we conjure up. It's not a part of us. This..." He gestured to the markings on his chest. "This exorcism thing, or whatever you were trying to do to get it out? It was pointless. The only reason it's here is because it protects me."

"I know," Link groaned. "It's a shield."

"But I put it up, whether subconsciously or not. If it's up, it must mean I sense a threat. And that whole show you just did freaking terrified me! I thought I was about to die! If you want that barrier gone, you need to make me feel comfortable around you. No more scaring, no more exorcisms, no more..." He wanted to say 'acting like a demon,' but he knew he couldn't prohibit a demon from being what they are. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to Link. He didn't know why, but he felt that it was important for them to be comfortable if they were going to be here. Of course, Rhett's own comfort was important as well. They would have to make this work until he at least heard back from Davin.

"No more surprises," Rhett concluded. Link finally looked back up at him. Their expression was unreadably flat.

"I'll try," they breathed. "I... like your company. I'll do what it takes to... you know, maintain our friendship."

Friendship. They were with Rhett for less than a day, and they already considered him a friend? Rhett didn't know what to say. He smiled and patted Link's shoulder. The demon smiled back, letting out a light chuckle as they got jostled around from Rhett's touches.

"It's funny," Link chimed. "After all my centuries of existence, I've never felt so... un-demonic? I don't really know what it feels like, honestly. But it's... dare I say it... nice."

"I'm thinking you're feeling what it's like to be human." Link's eyebrows shot up, and their eyes sparkled like raindrops in a sunshower.

"Maybe I am," Link purred. "And I think this calls for a celebration!" Link held his arm out, and an unopened bottle of merlot appeared in their hand.

"I thought you couldn't digest."

"I can't. Substances turn to ash when I swallow, but damn does this stuff taste good."

They placed the bottle down and whipped up two wine glasses from thin air. They handed one of them to Rhett, and then popped the cork just by pointing at it. They then poured the both of them some merlot. Its sweet, cherry aroma drove Rhett's senses wild. He swirled the glass, releasing more of the magnificent smell and waking its flavor. Link lifted their glass. Tiny bubbles rose in their drink.

"To friendship," they cheered, smiling brightly at their human. Rhett smiled as well, and then lifted his glass to meet Link's.

"To friendship!"

They both clinked their glasses together before sipping from their merlot. Its flavor was so dark and flavorful. Rhett had never tasted such a perfect merlot in his life. Just like the water Link had manifested last night. Absolutely perfect.


	8. Chapter 8

The day had been terrific. The two had gone through three bottles by the end of the day, and they shared loads of laughs and stories. Rhett even popped in a movie or two that he felt Link would enjoy. He first put in Paranormal Activity, which Link apparently took as a comedy due to his uncontrollable laughter every time something strange happened to the characters.

Then, Rhett put in a Disney movie for a different tone. Princess and the Frog. Link absolutely loved the villain, and jammed to all the songs. Rhett noticed how quiet they got during the romantic scenes. He silently glanced over to see them studying the film with staggering levels of focus. He wondered what was going on in their head during those moments.

It was getting late sooner than they expected, and Rhett was definitely drunk from all the merlot. He could still taste the cherry liquid on his lips. His stomach grumbled loudly, tickling his overstimulated senses.

"I wanna snack!" Rhett yelled sloppily. He shot up off the couch and fell back down, flailing his limbs all over the place. He blinked himself awake, but clearly the drink combined with the late hour of the night drove his body to want to sleep. "Sn... snacks..."

Link giggled to themself. "No more snacks for you," they purred. The reverberation in their voice seemed to confuse the human, as he tossed his head around, looking for the source of the voice. "Let's get you to bed." With a gesture of their hand, they lifted Rhett into the air. His limp body dangled as he already began succumbing to sleep. Link hovered upstairs to the bedroom, pulling Rhett along by his hand. They didn't need to. They could just as easily have gotten him there with another gesture and a little demonic power. This time, however, they wanted to touch Rhett's hand; how soft it was...how warm it got from the inebriated blood flowing underneath his skin. It was incredibly endearing to see their human in this state.

They gingerly floated Rhett down onto the mattress, and then covered him up in his sheets by hand. They smiled at the feeling of tucking him in. The warmth that radiated from him was addictive. Link wanted to feel more of it.

Without another thought, Link hovered over to the other side of their human and lied beside him. They never slept before, but they always wondered what it was like. They slithered closer until Rhett's warm body was flush against Link's chest. The sensation was absolutely electric, and it filled Link with a cozy warmth. Within seconds, they willed themself into a nice slumber.

Rhett awoke many hours later. The clock next to him was blurry, and the red numbers on them danced. He blinked and rubbed his eyes to get rid of his residual grogginess. He realized then that the clock read 2:11 PM. He threw his throbbing head back onto his pillow and sighed.

He had dreamed about Link again. This time, it wasn't a nightmare. It was soft and smelled like cherries. Tender touches seemed to linger on his fingers and lips. He didn't understand where a dream like that came from. He didn't really think of a demon that way, right? That would be blasphemous. Even more so if the demon could reciprocate those feelings.

He turned over. His eyes blinked wide in disbelief. Beside him lied the demon, sprawled out softly on top of the sheets. Their arms were flailed upwards, leaning on their forehead and chest. With their eyes closed, they passed off more convincingly as human.

Rhett reached over and petted Link's arm ever so softly, earning an echoed hum from the sleeping demon. Their eyes fluttered open, still shining bright through half-opened eyelids. They smiled and hummed again, stretching their arms while doing so.

"Sleeping is nice," rasped Link as they curled up more on the bed.

"I didn't know demons slept," Rhett said as he cocked an eyebrow.

"We don't. You just looked so comfy doing it I wanted to try it too." Rhett blushed. He looked around the room, suddenly realizing something was amiss.

"I don't remember going to bed last night... I remember... watching movies and... well, drinking a lot of wine." He chuckled at the memory of the sweet cherry liquid. Even now he could still taste its remnants on his lips. He wondered if it still lingered on Link's too.

"I brought you to bed," Link purred, sitting up a bit, just to lean their arm on the pillow. "You fell asleep on the couch, and I thought you should be comfortable."

Rhett's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Link," he squeaked. "That's very kind of you."

"Yeah, just don't tell anyone else about it or I'll _really_ get it."

"Wh... What would happen to you if someone _did_ find out?" Rhett asked quietly, as if there was another demonic entity in his home eavesdropping on them.

"The deities... or the other entities of Hell... would most likely destroy me," Link answered. Rhett could sense the sincerity behind those words. There was no tone in their voice to imply that he was joking, or if that was even an exaggeration. "And they'd do it in every imaginable way to make sure I was gone for good."

"I'm sure you'd still survive all of them," Rhett said, tapping his fingers on his lap. His heartbeat picked up in pace. "You're so powerful... even the stuff _I_ tried slid right off you... like water off a duck's back."

"I still can't believe you smacked me with a Bible," Link laughed breathily. Rhett laughed too, realizing now just how ridiculous that was. "But... no. There is one way to destroy me for good... but I'm not sure if any demon in the universe could get their claws on it if they dared to try."

Rhett stopped breathing. His eyes didn't blink as he stared as stone-faced as possible into the demon's eyes. "What is that?"

"Heaven-blessed holy water... or something close to its power."

Rhett's tapping increased speed, matching the rhythm of his heart. "Could they find something like that on Earth?" he asked, still holding his breath.

"Yeah... But unless they have someone working on the inside of The Vatican, it would be impossible. My people wouldn't step a mile near that place."

"Yeah... that's... That's good then..." Rhett mumbled. "There's no way any demonic entity could really hurt you then."

Link scoffed quietly. "It's not _them_ that I'm worried about."

Rhett decided to lie back down at that point. He was too terrified to continue looking at Link anymore, fearing they would see through his front. He threw the covers over his head and kept himself facing the edge of the bed.

"You okay, Rhett?" Link asked.

"Yeah, just... too hungover to get up just yet," he lied. He _was_ hungover, but he was in good enough of a physical state to get up and get through the rest of the day. He just couldn't bear to keep the conversation going, or any conversation with them for as long as the thought of Rhett's holy water request stayed on his mind.


	9. Chapter 9

It took another hour or so for Rhett to convince himself to finally get out of bed. Link stayed beside him, lying down on their back on the other side of the bed. They were awake the whole time, throwing one of the kitchen knives up in the air and catching it repeatedly. Rhett peeked over the covers and nearly got a heart attack at the sight of the blade plummeting toward the bed. Link caught it before it ever got the chance to even graze the covers.

"Holy Hell, man! That's my knife you're throwing like a tennis ball!" Rhett screeched, clambering out of his tangled blankets so he could stand up.

"I got bored. Started thinking about things. I... like to throw knives when I think," they replied dryly, still tossing the knife toward the ceiling. Rhett snatched it from them the second it was caught again.

"Geez, Link. Stop that!" He carefully placed the knife down on the nightstand for the time being. "What do you mean 'thinking'? What are you thinking about?"

Link paused and shook their head. "Nothing you have to worry about. Just... you know... demon stuff."

Rhett made a face at them, mentally saying, 'Sure...'. Even when humans say things along those lines, they were thinking about something important, sometimes even pertaining to the one asking. But if Link wasn't ready to talk to him about it, Rhett wasn't going to force anything out of them.

"Okay... Well... I have some work to do today," Rhett said slowly. Link looked up at him questioningly. "As in, confidential work. I'm gonna need some alone time for the next few hours. You can... stay here... go off somewhere... Do what you like as long as you leave me to my business."

Link sat up. "You... want me to leave?"

"Trust me. It's better for _you_ if you're not around while I'm doing my work."

"But I can help! I can gather entities for you, or even consume them, or-"

"Not that kind of work today. I'm... gonna be meeting with another medium."

The demon's cat eyes widened. "Oh... That makes sense then," they said, nodding their head gingerly. "I, uh, appreciate you looking out for me in that case."

"Yeah," Rhett hyped, patting Link on the shoulder. "I... I care about you. You know, your well-being and all that."

"I see." Link looked up at the man before them with a slight smile. "I'll find something else to do for a while then," they continued. "See a movie downtown and freak out some of the patrons there or something."

"No scaring people! No demon stuff!" Rhett shook a finger at them.

Link scoffed. "Just little things! Like opening doors and tipping things over or something. Things confused dead people do when they don't know they're dead yet."

"Uh... I guess that's fine, as long as no one gets hurt."

"Got it. Everyone gets hurt," Link replied, snapping a void into existence beside them.

"Link!"

"Remember when I said you're easy to screw with? This is one of those moments, pal. Get used to it if you wanna survive." With a smirk, they leapt into the void, which vanished in a flash. The room was flooded with the loudest silence Rhett had heard in his life. He looked around, twisting his hands subconsciously.

"Survive...?"

It didn't take him long after that to get ready and head out. He didn't bother with eating much, just a granola bar to keep him going until dinner in just a couple hours. If there was any part of sleeping Rhett hated was skipping meals. At least he could make up for it with his favorite snacks if he really wanted.

He got in his car and headed to the hotel where he sensed the family he had helped were staying. He called Christine the minute he arrived so they could let him in or meet him in the lobby. Whatever they decided. They quickly figured it would be better if he came up to the room, so one of the kids was sent to escort Rhett upstairs.

The second they met, Rhett recalled the vision he had of her and her sister in their bedroom. She looked so much healthier now than she did with Link hovering over her bed, absorbing her life force or whatever they were doing. He'd have to ask them about that later. Around he girl's s eyes were no longer dark and sagging like a middle-aged person who worked too hard and too long in retail. She greeted him with a huge smile, and her feet danced and tapped a lot as she skipped up to him.

"You're Eliza, right?" Rhett asked, kneeling to meet her eye level. She nodded boisterously.

"How did you know my name?!" she squealed. She rose up on the tips of her toes. The soles of her purple sneakers squeaked on the lobby floor.

"I had a couple visions of you and your sister when I visited your house," he said, using a higher-pitched voice to appeal to the child.

"What's my sister's name?" she asked with a giggle.

Rhett hummed, pretending to think about it for a little while. "Is it... Kayla?!"

"Wow! You really are a psychic!" Eliza cheered. "That's so cool!" Her feet danced again, taking turns holding the rest of her body up.

"Where's the room you guys are staying in?" Rhett asked. "I have a lot to say to your family."

"Follow me, Mister...?"

"McLaughlin."

"That's right!" Eliza nodded, recalling the familiarity of that name. She skipped to the elevator and held the door open for the tall man. He took another look at her. It was incredible how much improvement had occurred in the past few nights.

Within seconds, the elevator opened on their floor. Eliza took Rhett's hand this time and led him to her family's suite. They were both greeted with smiles by the parents. Matt and Christine both got a turn to shake Rhett's hand before inviting him inside.

Upon hearing all the ruckus, Kayla soon joined the others. Her tinier body moved lighter than a feather across the dated carpet. She hopped onto the couch with ease. Her curious little button of a face focused on the giant man at the other end of the couch. Rhett could sense her stare, and turned to greet her with a wave.

"Hi, Kayla," he squeaked, beaming brightly at the young child. Before she could respond with a greeting of her own, her mother interrupted with her hands on Kayla's shoulders.

"Kayla, dear, why don't you go play in your room with your sister? Daddy and I have a lot to talk about with our friend here."

"Actually, Christine," Rhett chimed, "I'd really like to talk to the girls for a bit. I'm sure we can all learn a lot from them." Christine tilted her head. Her short, dark hair flopped over her cheek.

"If... If that's what you would like to do, that's... that's fine," she agreed, clearly befuddled.

"I think it might be more comforting to you and your husband if I talk to them in private first? I can summarize the main bits after the interview."

Christine looked down at her daughter, who nodded decisively. "Sure," she finally answered, taking her hands off Kayla's shoulders and stepping aside to her husband. The two whispered a little to each other before they left the main room.

"Come over here, Eliza," Rhett called. Kayla patted the cushion between her and Rhett. The older sister, who had been watching by the door, shuffled over in her rainbow-striped socks and sat with them.

"I understand that you two experienced a lot at home, haven't you?" Rhett began, turning his body on the sofa so that he was better facing the girls. They both widened their eyes and nodded, as if 'experienced a lot' was quite the understatement... which it was. Rhett faced the brunette first. "Eliza, can you talk about your experiences first? I'd like to know how you felt living at home... the things you may have heard or seen." Eliza shifted back and forth on the sofa. Her glowing expression from earlier was gone now, as she pursed her lips in thought.

"I don't know..." she mumbled softly. "Big shadows moved on the ceiling a lot." She paused, biting the inside of her cheek now.

"Did you ever hear anything... strange? Something you couldn't explain?" Rhett asked, hoping to get more information with more specific questions. Eliza's shoulders rose up and stayed beside her cheeks.

"Tell him about the voices!" whined Kayla behind a hand.

"Oh yeah! The voices!" Eliza exclaimed. Her legs popped up as she adjusted her position. She seemed more comfortable sitting criss-crossed on the couch. "I would hear them all the time! It was only at home, though. Never at school or anything."

"What kinds of things did these voices say?" Rhett almost didn't want to know what kinds of things Link had said to her to make her open up and become vulnerable.

"Weird things..." Eliza breathed, recalling some of the instances that stuck out to her the most. "It screamed a lot... like a big... eagle!"

"What did you do about the screaming?" Rhett asked.

"I screamed back! Screamed so loud until it went away!"

Rhett leaned over to better see the younger child. "What about you, Kayla?" he asked. Her eyes widened at the sudden attention. "Do you hear voices too?" Kayla peeped at him with big eyes. "Yeah. You."

She looked down at her feet. She pulled on the velcro straps on her pink sneakers. She mumbled incoherently.

"Kayla, we can't hear you," her sister said softly.

"Growling..." Kayla repeated. She still kept her voice low as her eyes poked around the room.

"It's okay, sweetie. No one else is here to hear you. Just your sister, here, and me." His big green eyes shone calmly at the child.

"You wouldn't understand," she mumbled. "I can see someone here with us."

Her sister spun to face her. Her dark hair flung over her shoulder. "See who?" Eliza asked, completely confused. She looked around now, too. "Mom and Dad?"

"No," whispered Kayla. "Someone scary." Rhett turned to the direction she was staring at. She was right. There was someone, or something, there. A tall shadowy figure crept along the far wall.

Rhett leaned forward and tapped her leg with his fingertips. "I can see them too," he whispered. He quickly put up his shield, letting his white light cascade over the entire suite. The shadow figure lurked out of the light and disappeared. "But nobody's here with us right now," Rhett continued with a grin. "I made sure of that." He took the chain around his neck and lifted it up to show his crystal cross. "All the bad things are not gonna bother us. Not right now."

Kayla hesitated as she looked at Rhett's reassuring eyes. She switched her gaze to his cross necklace. She could sense the positive energy both it and the man wearing it were emanating. She looked down at Rhett's huge hand on her leg. His fingertips still gently sat there, waiting for her to do something. She knew instinctively what she was expected to do. She put her hand on top of his, and a stream of energy struck up her arm and throughout her body like electricity. It didn't hurt, however. Instead, it gave her comfort. The things she read from his energy were all very positive. She saw his white light surrounding them and filling the entire room. The world outside its shield was nothing but darkness. He was right. There were absolutely no other entities around them, and it was all because of him. The aura he gave off felt similar to her own, which heavily contributed to her elevation of trust.

She smiled as she released his hand. He retracted his own as well. His gaze, however, stayed on hers as he waited for confirmation.

"You're like me," Kayla whispered to herself. Eliza whipped her head between the two of them, still utterly confused. Rhett smiled, clasping his hands together as he waited patiently. Kayla inhaled deeply and spoke clearly for the first time to them. "It told me to go away," she elaborated. "Get lost! Run to your mommy! Leave us alone!"

"Us?" Rhett questioned, fully knowing already what she was implying. He wanted to hear it from her. More importantly, he wanted her sister to know what she had been seeing.

"The monster and Eliza," she replied. Eliza's eyes grew large. "I saw it every night above her bed..." She started to cry. "Its eyes glowed at me in the dark. It was eating her soul." Eliza's mouth dropped agape as she heard this. "I tried waking her up to leave to Mommy and Daddy's room, but she never did. I always was so scared that she would be dead."

An air of silence fell in the room. The only sound was the sobs of the younger child. Eliza scooted over as she reached for her sister. They squeezed each other tight in a strong embrace.

"I'm okay now... It's okay," Eliza whispered, patting the smaller girl's back.

"That's right," Rhett assured softly. "The monster's gone now. It's not gonna hurt any of you anymore."

"Because you told it to leave, right?" Eliza asked eagerly. He nodded before patting her shoulder.

"Go tell Mommy and Daddy everything's gonna be okay," he whispered to her. She sprang from the couch and shuffled to their room, leaving Rhett and Kayla alone.

"You really did it?" Kayla asked, looking up at the man with her big, brown eyes.

"Yeah. And I can teach you how to do it too." She scooted closer and listened intently. "As a young medium, you need to learn how to control your ability and use it to your advantage."

"What does that mean?"

"You can talk to the people and monsters you see. If you tell them to leave, and they see that you really mean it, they will." She smiled at the idea of being able to protect herself and her sister. "Now pretend I'm one of the spooky people you see. I'm scratching the walls, stomping my feet, and scaring your sister. What will you do?"

She put a hand out to him and pursed her pudgy lips. "Stop it," she squeaked, taking the roleplay seriously. "Stop making noises! Go away!"

"Good! That's perfect!" he cheered, rustling her blonde curls playfully. "Now I want to try something else. Sometimes, you might be too afraid go talk to a monster and make it go away. Sometimes what can help is making a light come protect you."

"Like the light that's keeping the others away right now?" She looked at his necklace again, wondering if that was helping him make this light.

"Exactly," he answered, holding his hands out with his palms upward. "I'll show you how it works." Noticing her cue, she put her tiny hands atop Rhett's. "Close your eyes." She followed his direction immediately, fully trusting him in his teaching. Eliza seemed to be following his instructions in the other room, so they were safe and alone. "Imagine a light, like a little tiny light bulb inside your chest. It's glowing brighter the harder you think about it. This light begins to surround you like a bubble, protecting you from anything dark, mean, or evil."

"I see it," she mumbled. A tiny smile crept onto her face. "It's pretty."

"As long as you have that light, it will protect you and anything inside it. Whatever that light touches is safe. You just need to practice with it so it can grow stronger. Soon, it could be stronger than mine." Kayla opened her eyes and gleamed.

"Thank you," she squeaked. It was then Eliza came back with Matt and Christine. He told them privately about how Kayla was a clairvoyant medium, and that she would be experiencing a lot more than most girls her age. He stressed how important it was that they support her in any way they can, especially since she's so young. They thanked him and let him on his way.

He couldn't wait to return home. He had to have an important chat with a certain demon.


	10. Chapter 10

The second Rhett left the hotel, a chill hit him like a ton of bricks. It wasn't just the New England autumn wind. He could tell the difference between the weather and a paranormal presence. Rhett scanned the parking lot with suspicious eyes. He wasn't sure what type of entity was around him. It felt like it was connected to something evil, but it also felt like a spirit of someone who had passed away.

He walked down the lane, peeking between cars for the entity. No matter how many empty spaces he saw, the chill on the back of his neck remained the same. It had to have been following him, he figured. He stopped by his car and spun on his heels to face it. He jolted back, not expecting to see something so horrific.

The entity stood at nine feet tall, putting the giant of a man to shame. They had four bony arms with two elbow joints each, all chained to their respective clavicle. Their skeletal legs took up about half the size of their body, and ended with hooves for feet. What disturbed Rhett most was the lack of hands on this creature, as well as its nightmarish face. Their wet, yet burned black hair shrouded their forehead. The frail skin on their face was as pale as snow. A small hole took place of their nose, and an inhumanly wide smile was sewn into their skinny, stretched out lips. Their eyes were beady and white, seemingly glowing in comparison to the void black scars scratched around and torn down from their eyes.

"What are you?" Rhett asked quietly, looking around for any passersby. The being did not move, and nor could they open their mouth due to the stitches keeping it shut. Instead, the entity spoke telepathically.

"A tortured soul," it whispered. "Zhira." Rhett held his breath, finding it unbelievable to have never seen a tortured soul - at least one like this - before. He wondered if that made them a demon, but he was sure he would've sensed that if they were.

"Okay... Zhira," Rhett breathed. "Why are you here? You seem... very determined to talk to me. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I do not have much time before I am caught and returned to the pit of flames. I come bearing a message for you, Rhett. A warning." Rhett firmed up in anticipation. Worry filled every nook and cranny of his mind.

"A warning?" he asked, keeping his eyes locked onto those tiny little eyes. After a brief moment, Zhira slowly turned to look all around them before facing Rhett again.

"It's about the coronet. I hear they have attached themself to you, which means you are in danger. They are not as they appear."

"I know. I saw them in other forms before. I -"

"But you know not who they are and what they are capable of." Rhett froze and listened carefully, remembering just how powerful Link was. "Be wary of your heart, as it often is tricked. Become too vulnerable, and your body will be no longer yours."

"What do you mean?" Rhett asked, squinting at the tall soul.

"There's a reason why it was easy for them to get to the child. It's always easy for them to create a vulnerable host. Did you notice the child had difficulty telling you about the demon?" Rhett thought for a moment, recalling his interview with the girls. He did remember Kayla telling Eliza about the voices, but that was the only thing she had to say about it. He wondered how Link acted toward her when Kayla wasn't around to see them.

Zhira slowly looked around again before continuing. "Do not forget what they are. There is an important reason why they cannot reveal their name."

"What is -" Rhett gasped, as the tortured soul had vanished before his eyes. The feeling on his neck was gone. He didn't know what to do at this point. Zhira had warned him about Link, but he also had to speak with them about what they did to Eliza. Did he want her same fate? He would have to be careful and choose his words wisely.


	11. Chapter 11

Rhett slowly opened his front door and peeked inside. His eyes darted all around in caution. Not seeing the demon, he stepped closer inside and shut the door as quietly as he could.

"Link!" he bellowed. His dark eyebrows furrowed harshly as he looked around for the pesky demon. He decided it was best to hold his ground and stay alert in case something went wrong. He was warned after all. "I know you're here! Your aura is permeating all around the house!" He sniffed the air, cringing slightly at the faint odor of burning metal and rock. "So is your smell, for that matter!" He went upstairs after searching the first floor. Regardless of Link's signs, they were nowhere to be seen by clairvoyant eyes. It wasn't until he heard footsteps above him that he realized just where Link was hiding.

Rhett opened up his walk-in closet and knelt by a large square board against the side wall. He could feel a slight draft creeping in from behind the wood. Careful around the splintery edge, he slid the board aside, revealing a dusty ramp within the wall, leading to the dark attic.

He crouched down even more to better fit himself in the hole, and then climbed up the ramp on all fours. The ceiling was far too low for him to stand just yet. He heard the creaky footsteps again, and he flinched, scrunching his shoulders up high as a chill of goosebumps climbed up his arms.

"Link?!" He shouted.

"Over here," called a familiar voice. There didn't seem to be much positivity in their tone. Rhett moved swiftly. By the far window stood the silhouette of the demon. Their arms were crossed and their posture slunk. Rhett treaded thoughtfully over the wooden structures and insulation below, careful not to break something that was either part of the house or himself. He slowly balanced on a board and slid his feet across it until he met Link's side. He peered out the small circle-shaped window first.

"What're you looking at out there?" Rhett asked, leaning gently forward. It was getting dark already. The sun rested close to the horizon, painting the sky with its remnants of light. Reds, pinks, purples, and oranges filled the landscape with life while the trees and other flora were growing dormant and grey. It was a beautiful marriage between the two moods of autumn. In that moment, Rhett was glad he was renting this house in Connecticut. The foliage in New England was absolutely breathtaking this time of year. He didn't get that anywhere else he had lived.

"The sun... I guess," Link sighed. "I like watching it fade into the night. Calms me." Rhett peeked over at the demon now, seeing their eyes glow with a subtle solemnity that punched his heart.

"What's wrong?" Rhett asked softly. "You can watch the sunset anywhere in the world. You must really be upset of you found your way up here. _I_ don't even come up here."

Link shrugged. "I used to watch it from the attic of the last house too. I wanted to go there again to get one last view from up there, but I..." Rhett squinted at them as they continued staring outside. The dust in the attic was starting to tingle his nose. "Couldn't go inside," Link strained to say. They held their hand up and pressed their knuckles against their black lips.

"Why? You spent months in that house. What makes this time any different?"

Link's head slowly turned to him. Their glowing eyes furrowed and rolled. "Seriously?" they hissed. "You fricking _banished_ me from there, you idiot."

"Oh... right." Rhett bit his lip in thought. "But I didn't think what I did would've been enough to work on a high-demon."

"You practically _consecrated_ the place! Might as well be a church now! It's got everything it needs; that Bible, holy water by the door, and big windows. That hurt like Hell, by the way!" Link slapped a hand onto the back of their head and rubbed the spot where Rhett had hit them with the Bible earlier. He snorted trying to force himself not to laugh.

"Sorry. Had to do what I could to get you off of me."

"Yeah, well, you shouldn't have blessed the house while you didn't have a direct escape route. That was all _your_ fault, my friend."

Friend. Rhett wondered if Link really did consider him a friend. Zhira had told him to be wary, but if Link truly thought of him so highly, how could he _not_ have a reason to trust them? Nobody could ever deceive a friend, he thought. Not even a demon.

It was then the tingle in Rhett's nose really began bothering him. He let out a loud yell of a sneeze, covering his mouth with the crook of his arm while doing so.

"Let's get outta here. We have to talk," Rhett coughed, already tiptoeing toward the stairs.

"We're talking right now!" Link whined, throwing their arms out before landing them on their hips.

"I know, but I can't stand to be up here anymore," Rhett wheezed before sneezing again. He crawled back down the ramp and peered up to see if Link was coming down. After a minute or so, he sighed. They weren't coming down. He pushed and slid the board back over the hole in his closet. After ensuring that no draft could get through, he climbed up to his feet and clapped his dusty hands together. He turned to leave the closet to see Link directly in front of him. Rhett jumped and yelped at the sudden sight.

"You realize I can go through walls and floors, right?" they asked, raising an eyebrow. They were back in their human appearance now. Rhett wondered just how long they were standing there, and why they didn't say something earlier. "I don't need to use your tiny, dirty cubby hole to access your attic. By the way, you've got a serious draft up there. Should probably get some work done if you plan on spending the next few months in this house. Winter gets pretty crazy around here."

Rhett led Link out of the closet and sat down on his bed. Link sat beside him instinctively.

"It depends on whether or not I get more jobs around here. I go wherever people need me," Rhett answered as he leaned forward, letting his clasped hands fall between his bony knees.

"So you don't really live here then?" Link asked.

"No. I rented the place for the month for now. I came up here to get rid of _you_, but now you're not bothering that family anymore. If no one else in the state needs paranormal aid, I go to whoever's next. I have loads of emails from all over the country asking for me to take care of their hauntings, but if I need to come back to the same place twice within a couple weeks or so, why go back and forth?" Link nodded, making sense of Rhett's situation. "Speaking of clients, I... spoke to Eliza and Kayla today."

Link turned and looked at Rhett in offense. "Why?"

"I wanted their perspective on what you were doing to them," Rhett put simply, returning Link's gaze expectantly. "Kayla thinks you were eating Eliza's soul while she slept. She was afraid you were slowly killing her. Is that true?"

Link rolled their eyes. "Oh, come on! That's ridiculous!" They looked over at Rhett, who did not seem to be accepting that as an acceptable answer. They sighed. "Do you _really_ have to know what I was doing?" They crossed their arms.

"I would. Yeah," Rhett replied, mirroring Link's posture without knowing he was.

Link hesitated before they spoke. "Every night I took samples of her soul - _samples_ \- and converted them into essences that... well... drained her energy levels. You know, to make her more vulnerable for possession. _Not_ killing her!Killing a potential host is _not_ in _any_ way good for a demon. It happens sometimes on accident, but it's considered a loss in our books."

"And what about scaring her sister like a ferocious beast?! That doesn't make _her_ vulnerable, so what's the point in that?!" Rhett asked, raising his voice. His lips were pursed hard behind his beard.

"First of all, _demon_ here." Link gestured at themself as they rolled their eyes. "And secondly! That little witch is dangerous! She has an aura unlike anything I've ever seen from a child! I couldn't have her around and screw up the plan!" Link's voice caught in their throat for a moment.

Rhett crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "And what is that exactly?"

Link sighed and paused. Their shining eyes dropped their gaze to the floor between the two of them. Time seemed to stop from the silent tension in the room. Link scratched the back of their neck and bit their lip with their razor sharp teeth. Rhett was a little shocked they didn't let out any blood, but then he remembered this was a demon. Noncorporeal. No blood. Link let out a puff of air that vibrated their lips.

"We just... want to be alive."

Rhett blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected an answer like that. He figured it was just another way for them to capture as many souls as they could go build their army of demons and take over the world. Maybe even bring on the apocalypse.

"Alive?" Rhett asked softly.

"Us demons were never alive. Never human. The only way any of us have come close to experiencing life is by possession. The more we do it, the closer to life we get. The better we become. I thought Eliza could have been the perfect vessel to carry out a life for myself, but _someone_ had to cut in and _change_ things! I'll never go back to being celestial unless and until I find a good body to inhabit!"

"Celestial...? Like... an angel?" Rhett asked softly. Link nodded as they shifted their shoulders. "Now, hold on... I thought demons were angels once before they fell down below," Rhett said quietly.

"We were, but once we paid our contribution to the universe, they got rid of us with a snap of their golden fingers." Link snapped their fingers to the timing of the word. They took a moment to study their hands as they morphed to black, almost looking like gloves. Link could barely see the ash marks from where their golden sparks once glittered like the stars. "The only way we can go back is to live a life of goodness and complete it to death, showing the deities above that we're capable of being more than what we were made for."

Rhett scooted closer to the gloomy demon and looked upon them with saddened eyes. At this point, any ounce of alertness was gone, completely overshadowed by his strong sense of empathy and love toward the being beside him.

"Link..." he whispered. Link turned to fully face him. Their lips were left agape and slightly pouted. Those huge, slitted eyes had never looked so hopeless before. They even sparkled from the light of the sun. Without another thought, Rhett reached out to the demon and cupped their cheek. In a gentle motion, he pulled Link closer and leaned in to kiss them. There was no movement from either of them at first. It was a soft, chaste kiss that seemed to last forever until Link finally kissed back, using purely suction to keep the kiss alive. Rhett broke away to breathe, but before he could get a second breath he was pulled in for more. This time, their lips danced against each other's, opening and closing repeatedly. Little nibbles in between. Link's tongue came in to play first, as the long, forked muscle slipped into Rhett's like a snake slithering into its burrow. Rhett shivered at the sensation, and let his own tongue press and caress Link's. He was surprised, as he hadn't expected the tongue of a demon to feel like silk and taste like cherries. He realized that it was possible Link drank more merlot while he was gone, but that didn't matter right now. Link laid a hand on Rhett's thigh before backing away with a soft pop.

"Thanks," Link whispered, dilated slit eyes locked onto Rhett's. "And... don't take this the wrong way, but I was hoping I would get the chance to kiss you."

"Why's that?" Rhett rasped softly as he rested his hand on Link's shoulder.

"Because... I... think I love you." Rhett could feel the blood rushing to his face. He tried his best to compose himself, attempting to not look as excited as he was. "I've... never felt that way with anyone before. I didn't even know it was possible, but... there's nothing as wonderful as the gods like the way I feel when I'm with you."

"It's kind of funny... I... think I feel the same way," Rhett chuckled. Link giggled with him. For a flicker of a second, Rhett could have sworn that he saw a pair of large, grey wings flap behind Link. When he blinked, however, they were gone.

Link kissed Rhett again on the nose, waking him from his vision. "I'm sure you're hungry, my love. How about a dinner date?" they purred. Their enchanting voice reverberating in space gave Rhett a shudder that tickled him from his head go his toes.

"You're gonna eat some food with me?" Rhett squeaked with a blush.

"No, but I'm sure I'll get my mouth on _something_ before the end of the day."


	12. Chapter 12

Link led their human to the dining table with a graceful float. They pulled a chair out and let him sit. Rhett's cheeks bunched up as they reddened like apples. His feet tapped and danced under the table. His big, jade eyes locked onto the demon before him, who spun their arms around and summoned two wine glasses. They placed them down with a dramatic flourish, lifting a long, skinny leg up behind them like a dancer.

"What are you in the mood for, my hungry companion?" Link hummed. "I am an excellent chef. I can whip up anything you like. Anything."

Rhett's eyes lit up. He never had the opportunity to choose absolutely anything in the whole universe to eat. His foodie brain popped like a firecracker with ideas. His mouth watered with every succulent dish that came to mind. His stomach growled like a bear when he came to his decision.

"How about a steak?" Rhett squeaked, subconsciously licking his lips.

"Oh no..." Link hissed. "You're not getting just _any_ steak." They flapped their hand up, summoning a twisting flame from which sparked a steaming hot plate with a one and a half inch thick cut of juicy steak. Sprinkled atop it sat a couple sprigs of cilantro and grated carrots. Underneath the tender beef was a bed of soft, buttery mashed potatoes adorned with rosemary. "You're getting a filet mignon!" Link placed the glass plate down gently. The heat of the plate didn't affect the demon at all, but they were careful to not crash the beautiful dish against the table.

Rhett had to hold back from gobbling up his dinner like a starving coyote. He melted at the garlicky, herb-filled aroma of the filet, and he craved so desperately to lie down on an entire mattress made of those mashed potatoes. His eyes dilated as his stomach roared at the delectable sight.

"Bon appetit," Link whispered, leaning in to kiss Rhett before letting him indulge in his only meal for the day. Rhett thought he couldn't smile any bigger, but be clearly thought wrong. With another plume of flame, Link summoned some glass cutlery for Rhett to use. Just like the plate and wine glass, the fork and knife's handles were faceted, and embedded with a dark red ruby. Flawless.

Rhett handled the cutlery with great care, and was surprised their fiery debut didn't cast them as hot to the touch. The knife cut through the tender, juicy filet as if it was butter, and the steaming insides were perfectly cooked to medium well. The piece lit up his mouth and brought goosebumps down his body. The herbal crunch on the outside was to die for, and the tender inside was so juicy it slid down his esophagus with ease. Before he knew it, the whole plate was licked clean and his belly was full and satisfied.

"That was incredible!" praised Rhett as he admired the beauty of his empty glass plate. He rose his gaze to the demon responsible for his current state. They had been watching intently with their dilated cat eyes. Their glow was overridden by those deep, dark pupils that resembled the interdimensional portals that Link used for teleportation. "_You_ are incredible," Rhett purred, smiling bright at the demon.

"You say this _now_? I haven't even taken you to bed yet," Link said with a smirk.

"I thought..." Rhett stuttered. "I thought you didn't have..."

"I don't need one to make you happy." They raised their hand, preparing to snap the dirty dishes away.

"Wait! I wanna keep these. They're so nice!" Rhett squeaked, grabbing to protect the plate, cutlery, and glass.

Link snickered. "I can always make more, fool! It's hell-blown glass, not a freaking rocketship!"

"It's special to me!" Rhett whined in a high, squeaky voice. Link couldn't help but laugh, but they honored Rhett's request.

"Fine," they groaned playfully. They moved their hand in a circular motion, and the dishes were shiny and clean. Rhett scurried to put them away. The second he turned away from the cabinet, sharp nails dug into his shoulders and spun him around. Link pushed Rhett against the counter and kissed him again, tasting the essence of the glorious dinner they had made him. Their silken tongue grazed Rhett's, earning a shiver from the man. They nibbled lightly on his bottom lip, careful not to puncture it with their sharklike teeth. Rhett broke away, panting heavily.

"I'm ready," he sighed. His pants were squeezing his pelvis from the hardening of his throbbing member. He couldn't take it anymore. "I want you now!"

"I know," rasped Link, who pressed themself against Rhett's burgeoning erection, earning a moan in return. Rhett leaned in to kiss them, but before he could reach, the demon vanished in a flame. Rhett blinked rapidly and looked around for Link. The burst of their heat warmed his face. Suddenly, he was shoved from behind. His feet wiggled as he hovered above the floor ever so slightly. Link continued pushing Rhett to the end of the hall, up the stairs, and into the bedroom.

Rhett didn't recall decorating his bedroom with tall candlesticks. Nor did he see Link get the chance to do it, so he figured this was the work of another one of Link's summonings. Aside from those, the room was dark. The blinds and curtains were shut, keeping any passersby at bay. The candles weren't scented, yet the room held a sort of aroma that Rhett couldn't place. It smelled sweet, yet also... outdoorsy? It reminded Rhett of roasting marshmallows during a camping trip.

"Wanna see a hot trick?" Link asked, grinning wide as they tossed Rhett onto the bed. Rhett let out a puff of air on impact. The room seemed to spin around him.

"Y-Yeah! That... yes. Hot trick. Show me!" Rhett blurted, still discombobulated. Link breathed a giggle, and then snapped their fingers. In an instant, the headboard burst into eerie black flames. Rhett jumped back, falling off the bed and thumping onto the floor.

"You set my bed on fire!!" Rhett yelped, peeking out from behind the foot of the bed.

"Shhh! Don't worry! It's not real, Rhett!"

"What?! What do mean it's not real?!" screeched Rhett.

Link waved their hand through the flames, phasing right through it. "Touch it," they squeaked.

"Touch the fire. That's what you said."

"It's not real! I gave you something to see that no one else could."

"Like... an illusion?" Rhett peeped up, pouting his lips like a small child.

"I was thinking more like your _visions_, but yeah. Sure. Like an illusion. Now get over here and touch the damned fire."

Rhett tiptoed over to the headboard beside Link. He was hesitant to put his arm out, but he eventually reached the flames. Link was right. It wasn't really there. He felt absolutely no heat at all. Even upon closer inspection, Rhett could see through the flames, just like he could during his visions.

"It's obvious to me that you don't like them, so I'll just -" Link raised their hand to snap away the flames, but stopped at the interruption.

"No no no! This is really cool. I've, uh... never had an experience like this before." Rhett lied down, keeping his legs parted. Link's mouth stretched into a sharp-toothy grin and snickered before diving at him like an eagle going after a rabbit for its dinner. They slithered from his lower legs, feeling them twitch and flex under their clawed hands, up to his pelvis. With a single claw, Link scratched at the front of Rhett's jeans, effortlessly undoing the button and unzipping the zipper. Rhett's breathing started getting heavy already.

"Someone's excited," hissed Link, who merely tapped on the bulge with the tip of their claw. Every touch elicited the highest-pitched hum of anticipation from the squirming man.

"Yes," Rhett agreed with a squeak.

With a growl, Link darted back in for Rhett's member, clawing at it like the beast they were and tearing his pants and briefs down to his mid-thighs. Rhett's hardened cock bounced from the torque of the action. Link paused, keeping their fully lit eyes on Rhett's, looking for a response. Their tongue slid out, long and forked as they moistened their lips. Rhett's nerves zinged throughout his body. He nodded to the demon before holding his breath.

Like a flash of lightning, Link sprang into action, immediately taking Rhett into their mouth and sucking and slurping with great fervor. The sudden escalation in stimulation made Rhett squirm and shout, but Link did not slow down. They were going all out to please their human. The incessant wiggling and wrapping of Link's tongue made Rhett feel like he was about to come right on the spot. With their large mouth and lack of a gag reflex, Link was able to take all of him effortlessly.

Link began to get carried away already, and started changing form without really paying it any mind. Their skin changed first, quickly fading to black as they continued engulfing Rhett's member. Rhett nearly screeched at the sight of another pair of arms breaking through Link's torso to hold his hips tight. Link moved even faster, and Rhett's legs shook like autumn branches in the wind. The demon's noises grew louder and more hauntingly sinful with every accelerating thrust until a huge pair of scaly, dark blue wings burned through flames of red as they burst through their back. Rhett felt the urge to scream, but he didn't know of it was in fright or arousal.

"Holy crap," Rhett gasped. "Link, I'm..." His heart raced as he felt all four of Link's claws digging into his body. "Oh god..." Link looked up at Rhett with eyes glowing brighter than the sun. They snickered sinisterly as they licked their lips once more.

"There's no god here, Rhett..." they growled, "just the Coronet of Hell!" They went back down and engulfed Rhett once more, fully taking him in with all their might. Rhett yelped as his climax hit him by surprise. Link stayed latched on, absorbing all of his essence as it turned into a thick, ashy substance in their throat. Rhett panted as Link rose up. He could see a flame burning in Link's throat through their coal black skin, burning brighter as they came closer to Rhett's face. All of Link's limbs surrounded him on the mattress, completely trapping him like a spider about to wrap her prey. Their sharp teeth glimmered from the flames on the headboard. They leaned in and kissed Rhett deeply. This time, it wasn't merely a kiss. Rhett could feel his throat expanding as something thick filled it, spilling down into his body. Rhett squirmed, not knowing what was happening or what to do. Link released him, and the remnants of a dark, goopy substance trailed from their mouth.

"I love you, Rhett," whispered the terrifying demon, whose shining blue eyes bore deep into Rhett's soul. Rhett could hardly breathe, let alone speak. His words and thoughts got choked up, trapped in his throat, and he passed out immediately. The last thing he heard was Link's deep cackling.


	13. Chapter 13

Rhett's eyes burst open. A terrible twisting feeling in his stomach woke him up. He tripped on himself as he rushed to the bathroom through the center door of the hallway. The toilet seat was flipped up and he gladly made it in time, spilling whatever his stomach couldn't handle anymore into the porcelain bowl. His eyes watered as he coughed up more of the chalky, yet acidic tasting substance.

He tried not to look at it, fearing the very sight of it would make him throw up even more, so he flushed everything down with his eyes kept shut. He blew his nose with a few squares of toilet paper and tossed it in the bin behind the toilet. With a loud groan, he flopped onto the floor. Its cold tiles against his back helped him overcome his nausea a little bit. The longer he lied there, the more a different sort of emotion settled in. He didn't know why, but he could feel his blood boil as his muscles tensed and shook. He grumbled loudly.

Eventually, he pulled himself back up to his feet and looked at himself in the mirror. He thought he looked like he had contracted a fatal disease or something. His skin had gone pale and the bags under his eyes sagged and turned dark. He also thought he looked a tad bit skinnier.

"How long was I out?" he grumbled to himself. He turned the sink on and splashed some cool water on his face. Unfortunately, it didn't do much to ease his mood, but at least it woke him up.

Once he started feeling a little better, he left the bathroom and wandered the house. He squinted at the light coming in through all the windows, as it enhanced the throbbing in his head. He couldn't understand why he felt this way. He didn't remember getting drunk last night - or whatever night it was he remembered last. Judging by the thin layer of dust covering the furniture and the stark difference in the foliage outside, he figured he must've been out for about a week or two. That explained why he was so hungry. He popped a bagel in the toaster and headed outside to check his mailbox. No doubt, it must be full of mail.

Rhett didn't bother putting on a coat, since he was just going to get the mail and back, but the intensity of the freezing wind outside made him regret that. He held his crossed arms to his torso, keeping in as much heat as he could as he got to the mailbox. As expected, it was overflowing with mail. Junk scam mail, letters from prospective clients, and magazines fell into his arms upon opening it.

When he returned inside, he noticed that a small box had been opened and left on his coffee table. He quickly dropped his mail in a pile next to it. He was more curious about the box, as he couldn't remember ordering anything to be delivered. He wondered why it was opened already, but then figured Link's curiosity got the better of them. His stomach knotted when he unfolded the crumpled letter inside the box. His heart pounded at the sight of Davin's name at the bottom, and he gulped at the memory of asking him to help with that demon...

Ding! The bagel popped up from the toaster, startling Rhett to the point where every muscle in his body twitched and jumped. The smell of the hot bagel usually made him feel good and ready for the day, but today it was not mixing well with whatever madness was stirring up in his stomach.

The nausea returned to him at full force, and he scrambled back to the bathroom to take care of it. He found himself lying on the bathroom floor again. His eyes were squeezed shut from both his headache and the thoughts that plagued his mind. What bothered him most was that he could feel Link's presence burning heavy around him, but they were absolutely nowhere go be found. His stomach twisted and bubbled again. He hated how miserable he was feeling. Not only his stomach, but his mental state as well. He sat back up and stared suspiciously at the toilet, thinking it could only mean one thing.

He slowly peeked inside the bowl, knowing he wasn't going to be happy with what he would see. Lo and behold, a gooey, black substance slithered slowly in the water. The ominous sight made Rhett feel like he was about to throw up some more of that nasty substance, or maybe even faint. He fell back onto the floor and clutched his head.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" he whimpered to himself. "I let them in. I should've listened to that... to... Zhira? Was that their name?" He sighed and turned onto his side. Link was inside him. He knew it. It was foolish of Rhett to try to make a deal with a demon. How could he have thought they wouldn't try to possess him after he told them not to? He focused his power inside of his soul, searching for the demon that lurked among it. "Link?" he grumbled. "Get out please. You broke your promise."

There was no answer.

He tried again, harder this time. "Link! Get out of my body!"

There was still no answer.

His head throbbed as he began to sob on the tile floor. He thought again about the creepy looking tortured soul that warned him of Link's evil ways. It was possible he could try to speak with them again. There was one method he could try. He had used it to speak with the dead many times before, but he wasn't sure if it would work on this one, as Zhira was not in a purgatorial state.

He headed down to the basement to get his plan all set up. This was his first time ever going down there, so he first had to make sure it was safe to use. After a quick scan of the area, it seemed untouched by any dark entities and there were remarkably no signs of rodents or other pests that could tamper with the experiment. When he got ready to prepare the space, he felt an urge inside him to not go through with it.

"Stop it!" he barked, pressing his temples with his fingers. "I'm doing this whether you like it or not!" Seemingly on its own accord, his hand clenched into a fist and pounded into the cement wall. He hissed at the pain as he crouched down go the floor. His vibrating fist drew crimson from the knuckles, and were clearly on the verge of swelling. He pressed it into his other hand and tried to relax. After about five minutes of slow, heavy breathing, he was calm enough to go upstairs for some ice.

He came back shortly with a Ziplock bag with ice water in it. He held it gently over the side of his hand. The chill of it against his skin burned, but he would rather deal with freezer burn than the hellish throbbing of his nerves and muscles. The anger inside him was still taking over his mindset, but apparently there was nothing he could do about it for now. He opened up the card table that had been collecting dust in the corner and threw it towards the center of the room. The table bounced and teetered, clanging against the cement floor. He did the same with a metal folding chair, whipping it near the table. He took a moment to observe his set up. He glowered at the askew chair and aligned it with the table. He didn't know why he did that. He wasn't typically the type of person to be tedious.

He sighed as he planted himself into the cold, metal chair. It took a minute or so for his body heat to warm up the seat. He looked around the dimly lit basement, scanning the area once more before letting his eyes gently close.

First, he recalled Zhira's face. Their face was so deeply-seeded into his brain. Those white, beady eyes in those black scars that took up the majority of their bony, fragile face. The skeletal nose hole sat between them. Next, he remembered that horrifying sewn-in forced smile. He repeated their name in his head. Zhira. He wished he knew their last name, but he hoped the right Zhira would show up. It was an uncommon name, after all. What were the chances that another Zhira with that appearance would show up?

Next, he thought of their height. They towered effortlessly over his already ridiculous height, and half of them was their legs. He then shivered at the thought of the clanging chains on their triple-jointed arms.

He felt a chill on the nape of his neck.

He opened his eyes. There they were, standing on the other side of the card table and looming over it due to their height. Their face was practically right above Rhett's. Rhett was concerned about the black goopy substance leaking off their body and onto the basement floor. It looked just like the stuff he had regurgitated earlier. He figured it had something to do with whatever torture they had just been subjected to before being called.

"Thank the gods you summoned me when you did," Zhira cried telepathically. "I was nearly done for."

"I don't know how much time I have," Rhett blurted. "Things went wrong, and-"

"Oh..." Zhira gasped. "You let them in."

"I know! You warned me and I didn't listen... How do I get them out of me? I've done exorcisms before, but never on myself! What can I do?" He pressed his hands against the sides of his head.

"You need their name. Names are the most powerful asset one can have against a demon. Speak their name aloud and they will escape before you get the chance to remove them from the realm for good."

"I tried that already! Nothing happened!" Rhett growled. He gripped the table so hard his fingertips turned white. Zhira's energy seemed to vibrate the room for a moment, which gave Rhett a mild unsettling feeling in his stomach.

"Show me," Zhira bellowed. A drop of goo dripped right in front of Rhett on the table.

Rhett gulped. "Link!" he shouted. "Leave my body!"

There was no answer. Zhira laughed. It started as a deep, guttural laugh, and then morphed into a witchy cackle.

"You don't seriously believe that is their name, do you?" They knelt down to meet their head at the same level as Rhett's. Their white orbs of eyes gleamed in a condescending light.

Rhett sneered. Any fear he felt for this tortured soul was completely overshadowed by the unwanted, uncontrollable anger burning inside him. He felt the urge to attack them, but he had to hold strong and keep himself from acting in the way Link was trying to make him. Link kept Rhett's mouth shut. His jaw was locked into place, forcing him only to speak through gritted teeth.

"Do... you know... their name?" Rhett forced out between deep, loud breaths. His nausea started coming back to him again. If he didn't get the demon out of him soon, he figured he might need a hospital.

"Maybe I do," Zhira hummed, keeping their face at a foot's distance from Rhett's, "and maybe I don't."

Finally, he heard Link's voice echoing in his head.

"Don't you dare!" they barked. "You can't trust her! There's a reason why she was sent to Hell!" the demon hissed.

"I thought I trusted _you_, but clearly I can't," Rhett whispered with a snarl.

"You really wanna talk about trust?! Let's talk about the little present you got from your buddy in Italy! You only kept me around so you could get rid of me!"

Rhett's face was growing redder by the second. "That's not true! I asked Davin for the holy water before I banished you from the house." Rhett turned his attention back to Zhira, who, although she could not express herself, gave off a condescending vibe.

He took a few deep breaths, slowly regaining control of the aggression Link was projecting through him. Once he felt more calm and collected, he took a closer look at the spirit before him. He reminded himself that this was a tormented soul, someone who was selected after death to be submitted to eternal torture. Now he knew for sure they were once human. They weren't just some entity. A demon like Link. This was a girl - a woman who had made poor choices before death. After who knows how many years of torment, he was sure she had no reason to be deceitful. Then again, she was already going through hell - literally - so she had no incentive to not be deceitful either.

He reached out to her, laying his hand palm side up on the card table. Part of him wished he had dusted it off before using it, as he could feel the dry grit on his knuckles and the back of his hand. He didn't need to say or think anything for Zhira to understand what he wanted her to do. Without hesitation, she laid the stub of her handless arm atop Rhett's hand. Rhett closed his eyes and concentrated on her soul. He tried his hardest to visualize a memory from her life. Something that could help him discern her level of trustworthiness.

A bright light blinded him as it shone into his view like a flashlight, clearing out after a moment for Rhett to see a woman in her mid-thirties. Her dark, curled, shoulder-length hair was kept nice and tidy under her fedora. Judging by the shoulder pads, A-line skirt, and the dark plum-colored bowed blouse, Rhett guessed this was around the 1940s. She was marching fast up a flight of stairs. Her brow furrowed and her lips downturned as she reached a door with the number twenty one on it. She pressed her ear to the door, pursed her lips tight, and inhaled a sharp breath through her nose. Whatever was happening inside the apartment did not seem like a good thing. At least not to her. She slowly took a handgun out from her small, black purse and brandished it before bursting through the door.

"Zee?!" cried a man, half-naked and hovering atop another woman on the plaid white couch. He covered himself and sat up. The woman with him hid behind him with a gasp. "Zhira, I can explain! It's not what it looks like, I -"

"Go to Hell, Tom!" Zhira yelled, pulling the trigger with the gun aimed right at his chest. Both of the people on the couch were hit by the same bullet, killing them both in an instant. Zhira dropped the handgun and fell to her knees. Tears streamed down her face as she wailed at both what her lover and she had done.

The vision blurred and faded away. Rhett was back in the basement. He took another look at the soul before him. Everything horrific about her had nothing to do with who she was. It was what her actions had done to her, both in life and in death. If there was anything important he had learned about her fate, it was that she may have murdered in life, but she was not deceitful. He was certain after being lied to and cheated on behind her back, she would do nothing of the sort, knowing the pain that had caused her.

Anger burned and boiled even hotter inside Rhett, but he was determined to keep it at bay. Tears flooded his eyes from his efforts.

"Tell me their name, Zhira. I can trust you," he heaved.

Zhira tilted her head softly. Even through her forced smile, he could tell she would have been actually smiling.

"They have two names," she replied. "The name they had earned from falling, and the name they acquired among the stars. Either will do."

Rhett felt his body attempt to launch itself at her, fully set on attacking her like a leopard. He kept his hands on the edge of the card table, digging his nails against the dusty metal.

"Tell me! Quickly!" Rhett cried.

"I cannot say it, but it is a name you know. They are the Coronet of Hell, after all." Rhett took a moment to try to think about it. There seemed to be a barrier of some kind attempting to keep him from accessing the name in his memory. Zhira noticed his struggle and decided to help further. "They said the name once before, offhandedly in a casual phrase."

"Satan?" Rhett squeaked, looking up at her with terrified eyes. She shook her head, and he let out a breath of relief. His eyes darted in thought. What other name did Link use before? His nerves jittered once the memory hit him. "Lucifer... Lucifer!" Zhira stepped back and faded away with all four of her arms outstretched. The fire inside Rhett's body burst, and Rhett was certain he was about to throw up again. He couldn't leave now, not while he was so close. "Lucifer! Release me from your possession! Get ou-"

He gagged mid-word, spewing a thick, black substance from his mouth. It came up again, stronger this time. It poured out of him and floated in the air. With a powerful cough, he detached from the gooey substance. Every muscle in his body ached and had gone limp. The room grew blurry and moved in slow motion. The last thing his eyes could make out was Link in their dark form glowering at him with scornful eyes.

The world around him faded in splotches. Shapes of color slowly darkened to black. Link's eyes glowed through to the end, before everything was encased in complete darkness.


	14. Chapter 14

Rhett came to in the comfort of his own bed. He didn't know what day it was, but that wasn't of importance at the moment. He was free now. He felt as light as a feather. Of course, he had lost a couple pounds due to not eating in who knows how long. However, he was miraculously well and alive. The fact that he was tucked in bed and not on a cold cement floor in a dusty basement told him he wasn't yet alone. Not really, at least.

A clank beside Rhett startled him. A vial of water, tagged with the symbol of a papal cross was held firmly against his nightstand. Who was holding it, but the demon Link in their human form.

"Just do it and get it over with," they grumbled. Rhett blinked incredulously at them. "I know you've wanted to get rid of me since the beginning. You've despised me since day one, and you still do now. You can't convince me otherwise."

"I don't despise you," Rhett mumbled. "Why would you even think that?"

"The package had a letter inside, wishing you luck in ridding 'that foul beast'." Link plopped themself against the doorframe. They couldn't bring themself to look Rhett in the eye.

Rhett chuckled to lighten the mood. "So... You're Lucifer, huh?"

Link whipped their head at him and hissed, "Shut it! I am _pissed_ that no good brat outed me to you! She could've gotten me _killed_ and she _knows_ it! I mean, sure I made her suffer the past few decades, but she didn't have to do _that_! I'll have them rip all four of her arms off for managing to escape in the first place..."

"She really should be released," Rhett suggested. "Does she _really _deserve such a grotesque punishment? It was punishment enough that she had to deal with her husband cheating on her."

"The punishment depends on the person. Motivation behind the sin, state of mind at the time of the occurrence, yadda yadda." They waved a hand flippantly before dropping it by their side. By the look of Rhett's furrowed brows and flicking eyes, Link realized he wanted more information. They sighed and continued, "In Zhira's case, she killed her husband after being suspicious of him for months. She had to hide behind a smile the whole time, so we put her back in that state permanently. We ripped off her hands and attached the forearms of her husband's lover as a reminder of what she had done. We also gave her the extra pair from her husband and her mother."

"What about the scars?" Rhett asked, touching the skin around his eyes. "And the hooved feet?"

"The scars were caused from the torment itself. All of our souls have them. Same with the feet. After so long in hell, they eventually turn into sacrificial goats as an offering to... well... me. In return, I let my loyal demons stay unharmed."

"And you keep that promise to them? Your... demons?" Link nodded with closed eyes. "You broke the promise you made to _me_."

"Don't use that tone with me! And no, I did _not_ break any promises! I am a demon of my word! You changed the terms of our agreement, remember?" Rhett squinted groggily, trying to recall doing such a thing. "I told you I had quotas to fill with possessions, torment, and all that jazz. You stopped me from leaving and told me to do whatever I was gonna do to someone else to you instead. Yes, it was... _partly_... my intention to get you to let me possess you, but..." They sighed. "I... can't use you... Not just because you're a hell a lot stronger than I anticipated, but... I just can't do that to you. I thought I could, but it... hurt too much."

Rhett kept his guard up, wary of anything this demon might try to do. He didn't know what was sincere about them anymore. It was foolish of him to think anything they said was sincere. Everything between them could have been a huge ruse to get Rhett to open up and become vulnerable to them. Again. However, the solemn look on the demon's humanesque face struck Rhett in a strange way.

"Shut up," Rhett said, finally having the energy to speak above a whisper. "You can't love. You're a demon. That's all you are and ever will be." Link looked over at him for the first time. Their glowing eyes grew large, and their pupils dilated to full circles. If they had a heart, it would have surely broken.

"That's what the deities said when I tried talking to them," Link barely whispered. "That day you found me in the attic?" A gold, shimmering tear fell from their eye and poofed away upon hitting the wooden floor. "I tried to convince them to give me a chance... but after hearing that damn stupid mantra a million times, I don't think I'll ever get the chance. I don't know if that's what I even want anymore." Link slid down to sit on the floor. Their legs were spread out like a defeated child after throwing a tantrum. "Just... destroy me. I deserve it."

Rhett held the vial of holy water and turned it pensively. He popped the cork out and swished the liquid inside. Looking up, he noticed more glowing tears dripping down Link's cheeks. He could tell they were trying to hide them, but the star-like shimmers were too obvious to be missed. The shine each tear emitted was so bright and beautiful, it was hard for Rhett to believe they actually came from a demon - particularly this one. If this was the Coronet of Hell, why was their essence reminiscent of light? He shoved the cork back into the vial and set it back down on the nightstand.

He closed his eyes and breathed slowly. His psychic light grew around him, stronger and wider with every inhale and exhale.

"What are you doing?" Link whispered, tossing their head rapidly from side to side.

Rhett opened his eyes and gazed at the demon with bright green eyes. "I think there's a reason why you were taught to fear the light. You're supposed to be dark, evil incarnated, right? That's at least what you were meant to believe." Link furrowed their brows. "Yet I see light in your tears. There is a soul inside of you that is holding it in all its purity.

"What on Earth are you getting at?"

"Lean into the light and see for yourself."

Link scoffed. "You're crazy."

"You just told me to throw this holy water on you! If you want to be destroyed, what's the harm in at least trying my idea?" Link turned away again, leaning their head against the doorframe. The two of them sat in silence for a while. Rhett's light didn't dim even a little. There was nothing more he could say to influence the demon any further. He couldn't be the one to force the light on them. They had to go in completely by their own will.

"I meant it, you know," Link muttered, finally breaking the silence. "When I told you how I felt? I meant every word." Rhett's gaze stayed on them, listening fully. "Please believe me. I have nothing more to gain from telling you that, so don't think I'm trying to make you vulnerable again. I know it's not worth it."

"Then come here. Join me in the light." Rhett patted the mattress beside him. Link bit their lips and finally mustered the courage to stand up. They started with a single step. Their boot sizzled in the psychic's light. They wanted to retract it, but they decided they needed to commit. If it wouldn't destroy them, they were curious as to what it would do.

They bowed their head down and took another step closer to Rhett. Nearly all of them was touched by the light, burning and smoking like a barbecue grill on a summer day. They took one more step, fully submerging into the holy light. Link clenched their fists and scrunched their eyes, taking the burning sensation like they absolutely had to in order to survive. Eventually, the burning felt more like sprinkles of acid rain. They took a big step closer, squeezing their eyes shut even harder to brace against any stronger effect. Rhett was growing concerned as speckles burned like ash against Link's human form.

"Bright light," Rhett whispered, keeping his eyes on his tortured demon, "present your gift to Li..." He paused. Link looked up at Rhett with tearing blue eyes. "To Lucifer."

Link cried out in pain, hissing and shouting like an eagle. "No!" They screeched. "Heilel!"

"What?!" Rhett shouted.

Link curled onto the floor, holding their legs against their chest. "Heilel! That's my original name! The ones the deities gave me before I fell!"

"Heilel?!"

Link scrunched their eyes shut and nodded, making their dark hair bounce. "Yes!"

Rhett took a big breath, and then shouted, "Bright light, present your gift to Heilel! Return them to their original form!" He took the holy water again and popped the cork. He wasn't sure if his idea was going to work, but it made sense to him that using a full blessing under the light would be strong enough to revert Link to their true form.

"What are you doing?" Link yelled, clutching themself tightly. Rhett handed the vial out to them. Link's glowing eyes grew wide with fear and confusion. "Nah-uh! Nope! I know what you're thinking, and trust me! It will not work!"

"Just drink the water, Link!" The anger in Rhett's voice both startled and upset Link. They couldn't bear to see him upset again. After a brief hesitation, waiting through the speckles of what felt like fire on their skin, Link inhaled deeply and let out it out with a loud puff. Everything in them tensed and tightened.

"Fuck, this is stupid," Link whined to themself before downing the papal holy water in a single chug. The liquid was too pure to turn into ash in their mouth. Instead, it tickled their throat. They would have coughed their lungs out if they had lungs. Instead, when they hacked up that thunderous cough, a huge pair of silver wings burst from their back like the first spring daisies popping out of the snow to bask in the shimmering sunlight. These wings also seemed to shimmer under Rhett's light. They were different from the ones he saw before. These were fluffy and ruffled out like an eagle's, rather than the scaly ones of a dragon.

Link coughed once more, spitting out multicolored glitters like a dome fountain. They trickled down and landed on Link's skin. Link tried to wipe them away, but they seemed to burrow themselves into the false human skin. Once every inch of Link was covered in the shiny material, more light burst from Link themself, startling Rhett so much that his light dissipated. In a flash, the sparkles flaked and floated off of Link, leaving the skin in a soft blue color as they seemed to orbit the former demon. Link stumbled to the floor on weak legs, and Rhett hurried to their side.

"Link!" he squeaked. "Link, are you okay?" He held the entity gently, as if Link was now made of thin glass. They felt like ice in his hands. He could tell they were still not a corporeal being, as there was no weight to their ethereal body. What seemed like glowing, rainbow freckles shone bright like evening stars against their blue skin. Rhett was particularly fascinated with Link's hair. It was smooth against his fingertips, and was now a shiny dark violet in hue. He could see distant galaxies and stars flicker through it as he petted the strands.

Link opened their eyes, exposing the same glowing blue eyes Rhett knew, but without the pinstripe pupil. Rhett got a wave of chills as goosebumps trickled throughout his body at the glorious sight. As the entity awoke, an iridescent cloth materialized over their shoulder and draped around their waist, ending around knee-length. It appeared to be a different color at different angles.

"Link...?" Rhett whispered, smiling softly.

"I'm... still here..." Link purred. The echo in their voice carried a higher subtone than Rhett was used to. Link's cerulean orbs flicked around the room. They smiled. Rhett noticed just then that their eyelashes were dusted in the same glittery light as their galactical hair. They sparkled with every blink and flutter. "Did your idea work?"

Instead of answering Link outright, he took their hand and held it out for them to see. The stars on their palm glowed in a slow pulsating rhythm. The multitude of their colors brought a smile to Link's lips. They opened their mouth to speak, but a sudden spotlight from above interrupted their train of thought. Glimmers of sun speckled from the warm light that cascaded over the two of them. Only Rhett casted a shadow from it.

"Heilel, Creator of the Morning Stars," a feminine voice called. Its echo rang like a soft church bell. "You have been blessed by a living, corporeal being, and therefore are deemed worthy of returning home. Back to your place in the cosmos."

"Home...?" Link squeaked softly. The corner of their mouth twitched to a smile. Rhett aided Link to their feet, but they kept floating upward, rising higher than Rhett on their shining silver wings. Link hadn't been in the cosmos in millennia. They wondered what it looked like after all these years. Seeing everything from Earth wasn't nearly as beautiful as it really was. They wanted to explore the galaxies, reignite the stars that had faded out, visit the multitude of planets and moons. Oh, they wished they could see it all right now.

They stopped floating right before reaching the very top of the stream of light. Their hesitant hand that reached for its edge shook slightly as it retracted. Link turned and looked down at the human below them. The glow and smile in their eyes faded. A heavy weight filled their chest, as if there was a heart there to ache. They looked back up, letting the light warm and grace the flawless edges of their azure cheekbones.

"Can... Rhett come with me? To the cosmos?" Link asked. Their eyes grew large, hoping to win the deities over with the saddest pleading expression they could muster. Rhett blushed as his heart beat faster. The thought of seeing the galaxies with Link sounded like a dream come true.

"Rhett is a human. His life must be carried out. He cannot join you," the voice replied. The lack of tone in their voice confused both Rhett and Link, as it was uncertain how the deities felt about this conundrum. The sadness in Link's eyes intensified. They turned to Rhett again and floated down, letting their bare blue feet graze the floorboards.

"Then... I will stay here," Link said sternly. They pursed their lips tightly.

"We need all celestial beings up here with us, Heilel," the deities stated. Link drew a fist and scowled.

"Then... Then I don't want to be a celestial! N-Not without Rhett!" Link burst. They sniffled and bit the inside of their lips. "I love him."

Rhett's breath escaped his lips. He could have sworn his heart stopped beating for a moment.

"We see..." the deities hummed. "Then stay you shall, in a vessel of your very own. It is the least we can do for a reformed celestial." Both Rhett and Link perked up, smiling excitedly. "This will be your chance, Heilel. Live out the life you always wanted to live. You will be judged like any human being. Choose carefully what you will do with your mortal life."

"You mean...?" Rhett and Link chirped in unison. They looked at each other and blushed like lovestruck teenagers.

"Yes. However, by making you mortal, you will forget all about the afterlife and all of the dimensions you know and have visited."

Link chuckled merrily. "That's all I ever wanted!"

"Are you ready... Link?" the deities asked. One by one, several silhouettes of light appeared at the edge of the light stream, high enough above the two sweethearts to touch the clouds. Rhett stepped back, out of the light's touch. His ridiculous smile was glued to his face.

Link's arms outstretched as they beamed under the light's heavenly heat.

"I'm more than ready!"


	15. Chapter 15

Link groaned, opening his eyes to find himself wrapped in blankets and smelling the faint aroma of something savory. He blinked awake, rubbing the sleepies from his eyes. Judging by the dark colors through the window, it must have been around six in the evening. What was he doing asleep?

He heard a small creak and snapped his head in the sound's direction. Nose first, Rhett squished his face through the small opening and peeked inside.

"Oh, Link! You're awake!" Rhett chirped, pushing the door open wider with some plates in both hands. He waddled over carefully to the bed so that the plates wouldn't drop from his hands and so that the silverware wouldn't slide off. He handed one of the plates over to Link, who stared quizzically at the dish. The long white strands were swirled onto the beautiful glass plate, and a steaming, red substance was spilled on top. A wad of a creamy white blob melted over the center, surrounded by speckles of white chunky sprinkles of some sort. It smelled absolutely fantastic, but for some reason he couldn't place what the aroma was. He looked over at the taller man beside him, who had been watching his reaction with a tender smile.

"What is this?" Link asked.

"Dinner!" Rhett squeaked. "Spaghetti and sauce! I wanted to try making my own meatballs, but... well, it didn't go so well. We can try it together next time." With that, Rhett swirled a forkful of the noodles against a spoon and took a huge bite of it. He ate so fast it was like he hadn't eaten in a week.

Link picked up his fork and spoon and mimicked Rhett's action, swirling the long strands onto the fork with the spoon as its brace. With a smile, he smelled the savory steam before taking a bite. His teeth clanged gently against the fork as they slid all the noodles from the prongs and into his mouth. It was so full of flavor, and the more he chewed the more he tasted. He hesitated before swallowing, as if the flavor would disappear and turn into something else when he did so. He was glad to realize he was just being paranoid.

"I've never seen you eat before," Rhett purred. Link turned his attention back to the other man and raised his eyebrows high. His pupils had dilated a bit, but the blues of his eyes were still visible. They were the bluest eyes Rhett had ever seen on a person, almost as though there was a filter over them in real life. It oddly felt like he was living in a movie. "You are so beautiful," he hummed, reaching out to wipe a bit of sauce from the corner of Link's mouth. "You should see yourself."

Rhett put his plate on the nightstand as he stood up. With just a couple steps he got to his walk-in closet and opened the door. On the inside of the door was a tall, full-length mirror that was opened enough for Link to see himself on the bed.

Link put his dish aside as well. Not able to see himself very well from the bed, he stood and walked closer to the mirror. Eventually, the blobs of color became sharp and clear. He could see his soft, stubbly jawline, his tousled, dark brown hair, and his eyes. He couldn't tell why his eyes stood out so much. It was like he was seeing a different side of himself, or seeing an uncanny lookalike that had just something off that could not be placed.

He smiled, showing off his teeth. Those seemed oddly different too. He ran his tongue over them, and even the feeling of his tongue felt strange. When he looked back over at Rhett, the man was still smiling. He seemed to understand why Link felt so strange.

"What are you smiling for?" Link asked. Rhett stepped over to the nightstand and picked up the plate Link was using.

"Do you like the plate I gave you?" Rhett asked softly. He stepped back when Link took it to observe closely. Rhett quietly walked out of the room for a moment. Link hadn't noticed, as he was admiring the perfect clarity of the faceted glass. There was something about the hauntingly red gems that were decorating the outer edges that called to him.

"Yeah... It's really nice," muttered Link with a squint.

Rhett returned with a large bottle and two wine glasses. They seemed to be part of the same set as the glass plate, judging by the same faceted design and red gems. Rhett set them down on the dresser by the door and poured the two of them some of the gorgeous dark red liquid. He handed one over to Link, who swirled the glass steadily as he watched the wine swish inside. A familiar warmth burned inside him. He turned to Rhett, who had rejoined him on the edge of the bed, and raised the glass to him. Rhett returned the motion, clinking the two wine glasses together.

"To friend... ship..." Link chimed. His smile faltered for a moment as he questioned his reason for toasting to their friendship. He could have sworn the two of them were more than friends, so why was that the word he used?

Rhett cleared his throat, earning Link's attention once more. His cheeks bunched up as his soft, green eyes blinked tenderly at him. Rhett paused, thinking his words over carefully. He wondered why Link had to forget about the afterlife and being a demon for billions of years. It had to have been for an important reason, and it must have had something regarding some sort of laws of being mortal.

Then he remembered. The deities were testing Link. They probably wanted to see if he would be evil incarnated even as a mortal, and if he was they would likely send him back and return him to demonhood, or worse, have him be tortured like Zhira had been. Rhett realized then he had a sort of responsibility at hand. If he was to spend eternity with Link after death, he would have to make sure they both moved on the right path. Together.

He blinked out of his thoughts, realizing Link had been staring at him, waiting patiently for whatever Rhett was about to say.

"Not friendship, Link," Rhett tried to correct. He patted Link on the shoulder with a heavy hand, jostling the smaller man around a little bit. "To _us_. Let the rest of our lives be filled with joy... and love." Link smiled brightly at Rhett's beautiful words. Instead of bringing his glass closer, he leaned his face in. Rhett met him halfway in a soft, tender kiss. Something sparked within Link, and he pulled away after a second or two. He brought the tips of his fingers to his lips.

"My dream..." he whispered.

"What?" Rhett asked, putting a hand on Link's thigh, just above his knee.

"While I was sleeping..." he began, "I dreamt I kissed you... that we... made love on a bed of flames." Rhett tried his best not to react. He held his breath and clenched every muscle in his body. "I... turned into some kind of... _demon_ or something. It was really freaky." He paused a beat. "Kissing you just now reminded me about it."

"Well," Rhett strained, subconsciously letting out all the breath he had taken in, "do you want to make love again? I mean, not _again_, per-se... but... We can have some fun, and show you that everything is fine. There will be no demons, no black fire on the bed, none of that. You have my word as a psychic medium."

"How'd you know the fire was black?" Link asked with a squint.

"I - You told me. I'm certain you just said that," Rhett blushed.

Link shrugged with a smile, face burning as his cheeks turned red. "Okay... so what do you want to do?" he asked, wagging his broad shoulders flirtatiously.

"I'll do whatever you want, Link." Rhett lifted Link's hand and kissed the back of it. His big, hooded eyes were affixed to Link's beautifully darkened eyes.

"I..." Link coughed, "don't have experience with... _this_ region." He gestured wildly at his pelvis.

Rhett chuckled, "I know." Link looked at him confoundedly. Rhett waggled his eyebrows, earning a giggle from the brunet. "Do you want me to give, then?"

Link blushed harder. "I... think I wanna take... turns? I wanna try everything with you."

Rhett's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Everything? You're an adventurous little devil, aren't you?" He blushed at his choice of words.

"Maybe," Link sang, tossing his head to the side with a playful smile. He batted his starry eyes, earning a chuckle from Rhett. "I think you should give first, then I can learn, and then do better than you."

"Whoa, okay!" Rhett laughed, not expecting such a competitive attitude. Link's eyes sparkled while he giggled. Rhett couldn't help but notice how sharp his bottom canines were in his smile. He was so used to seeing all of Link's teeth look like that, but it seemed only those carried the shape from his demon form.

Tears began welling up in Rhett's happy eyes. He couldn't believe his blessing had worked, and Link rejected his ethereal form to be with him. Link must truly care for him. He really was telling the truth earlier. It was too bad Link couldn't remember what he gave up for the sake of love. Overwhelmed with emotions, Rhett enveloped his now human companion in a strong hug.

"You okay, man?" Link asked, gently hugging Rhett back.

"Yeah," Rhett squeaked. "I'm just so grateful to have you in my life, regardless of how we got here." He squeezed Link tighter.

"How _did_ we get here?" Link chuckled, leaning his head on Rhett's shoulder.

"Doesn't matter," Rhett rasped as he pushed the two of them onto the bed. Link puffed out the air in his lungs upon impact. "What matters right now is that we're here for each other..." Rhett hoisted himself up and adjusted his legs over Link's body. "Making each other happy." He held his weight up on only one hand. The other hand tickled Link's skin as it grazed down his torso and down to the pajama shorts Rhett had put on him while he was passed out. The red and gold plaid pattern on them accentuated the growing bulge hiding beneath it. Rhett took it upon himself to cup and grope it, earning a surprised squeak from the newly equipped man.

"Hell, that feels good," Link gasped. "I've... oh, gosh... I've never felt like this before." Rhett continued palming Link through his shorts. His eyes stayed on Link's face to gauge his reaction to every touch.

"I know," Rhett breathed. His piercing green eyes gave Link a wave of goosebumps. "That's why I want to make this really good for you." He then wriggled his fingers beneath the soft fabric and grazed the warm length that was hiding there. The slight chill in his fingertips made Link jump. He melted into the titillation as they grew warmer with every motion. The second Rhett felt precome, he removed his hand. Link looked over at him with a pout. Just as he was about to ask why he stopped, Rhett yanked the shorts down and shook them from Link's legs, leaving him bare from the waist down.

"What about you? Am I the only one here who gets to be put on display?" Link barked. His legs wiggled both from the flash of cold air and anticipation. Rhett pushed himself forward, crawling closer on his knees as he gently pushed Link's thighs apart.

"You can see me in a moment," Rhett rasped, gathering as much precome from Link's dick as he could. Link moaned and writhed from the return of the touch. Rhett licked his lips. He adored seeing Link get worked up like this. He wondered how he would have been if his demon form was able to feel this kind of pleasure.

With his lubricated fingers, Rhett gently worked at the ring of muscle between Link's legs. The deep moans Link was making instantly turned into higher pitched squeals from the first finger. Visions of black flames appeared in his mind, yet he didn't fear them at all. The flames were oddly comforting, and Rhett twisting and squirming inside him just added more pleasure to his entire experience.

Rhett added another finger, and Link gasped loudly. He arched his back as he began thrusting his pelvis up off the mattress. Rhett paused, making sure Link's actions were due to pleasure and not pain. The whine that escaped from Link's lips was all the encouragement he needed to proceed. He gently pushed both fingers in together, pulled them back out, and then back in. He hooked them and twisted, searching for just the right spot that would drive his newly human lover wild. Link gasped with a loud chirp, letting Rhett know he found it.

"Holy crap," Link squeaked. "I... I want something more."

"Are you sure?" Rhett asked. "You look like you're having a lot of fun just from this."

"Ohhh yeah," Link moaned as he pushed himself further onto Rhett's fingers. "I need..." he shuddered at the curling and scissoring of Rhett's teasing touch. "I am so ready for you."

"Okay then," Rhett chuckled. Link sighed upon the loss of Rhett's fingers. Before Link could take in another breath, Rhett stumbled forward and threw himself atop him.

"Good god, Rhett! Did you _die_?!" Link grunted, squirming underneath the heavy, giggling man.

"I'm sorry! I didn't balance myself!"

"So you decided to just die on me like an opossom?!"

"Yep," Rhett squeaked. "I'm dead." His belly bounced with every giggle, moving both Link and the bed.

"You're ruining the mood, Mr. Floppy!" Link squirmed some more, and Rhett finally got up. His little apple cheeks perked up from his beard. Link sat up, meeting Rhett with a kiss. His heart fluttered. "Now try again," rasped Link as he backed away. "Use your dang arms; you got _two_ of them!" He playfully shoved Rhett's chest, and then stared at it, realizing it was still clothed. That damned grey fabric was the only barrier between him and what he wanted to see of the other man. Link attacked Rhett's shoulders, clawing and grappling the henley like a rabid animal. It came out of nowhere as far as Rhett was aware, but it reminded him of when Link attacked him back at the house on that first night. However, he wasn't planning on stopping him this time.

"Okay, okay!" Rhett shrieked with a giggle. He raised his arms, aiding Link in removing his shirt. Link threw it to the floor beside them, but then stopped dead in his tracks. His sky blue eyes seemed to tremble as they went wide. "What? What's wrong?"

Link didn't answer immediately, and it seemed like he was still trying to process just what it was that he was seeing. He gulped without a single blink. "What is..." he strained. "I... did this to you... didn't I?" His cracky voice was kept low as he pointed at Rhett's bare chest. Rhett looked down and his heart felt like it stopped beating. His arms raced to cover the reversed pentagram scars on his chest.

"N-no! What... Why would you think that?" Sweat started beading on Rhett's brow. His heart was beating a mile a minute as he gauged Link's wide-eyed reaction. He couldn't tell if Link was breathing, and it terrified him. To think that he screwed up the deities' plan for this reformed ex-demon made him feel like wailing. He couldn't lose Link over his stupid mistake.

"Because..." Link whispered, spreading and clutching his fingers repeatedly, "I... feel like I did. Like a déjà vu thing." He stared at his hand as it twisted in the air, moving his bent fingers in a circular trail. "I can feel it in the tips of my fingers."

Rhett's heart raced as he clutched the marking out of Link's view as best as he could. His shield went up instinctively, glowing its bright psychic energy from the pentagram. Rhett's eyes widened, praying with all his might that Link would not be able to see it as a human.

He shouldn't be able to see it, he thought. The only humans that can see these lights are clairvoyant like himself. The chances that the body Link was given had that ability was slim. However, there was something unsettling about the way Link was looking at him.

"What's wrong?" Link asked. One of his eyebrows twitched. The racing of Rhett's heart slowed to a more comfortable pace at the confirmation that Link could not see Rhett's light. Rhett let his breath slide out in silence. He mustered a smile.

"Nothing," he coughed, shaking his head slightly. "I... I was just thinking..."

"Yeah?"

"Maybe that feeling in your fingers is telling you to touch me." Rhett raised his eyebrows and smirked. Link's face immediately flushed red. He clutched his fingers again before reaching out for Rhett's chest. He let his fingertips graze the bumps of the scars, ringing around the circle before tracing the star. The sensation tickled Rhett's sensitive skin.

"This is nice." Link smiled. "But I'm still waiting for something else, mister. Don't you distract me by making me touch your weird scars." He shoved Rhett back a bit before flopping back onto the mattress.

Rhett's little belly bounced with a giggle. "Well, someone's excited," he squeaked. His breath suddenly hitched at the realization that Link had said those exact words to him the last time they were intimate. He hadn't noticed that he physically paused above Link, who looked around with furrowed brows.

"Rhett?" Link waved in front of Rhett's face. "Hey! Stay with me, man! You can't get me all worked up to just stare at me like that."

Rhett shook his head back into reality. "Right, right." He scooted off the bed and fidgeted with his button and zipper, taking seemingly forever to take his pants off. Link huffed out a heavy sigh. He rolled his eyes and lifted himself off the bed, flailing his arms for momentum. In a single motion, Link clawed through Rhett's button and zipper with an index finger. Rhett blinked at him incredulously, recalling last time Link did that.

How _did_ he do that just now? He didn't have claws this time.

Link tugged Rhett closer from his two front most belt loops and smooched him hard. Rhett leaned over him and started peeling his skinny jeans from his long, lean legs. Link bit his lip as he watched. His hungry blue eyes scanned up and down Rhett's tall figure like he was an expertly crafted sculpture. Rhett's briefs slid right down afterwards, and he hopped out of them as he mounted Link on the bed. His heavy cock hung low, and its tip teased Link's with the slightest graze.

"Is this what you wanted?" Rhett rasped, keeping his eyes locked onto Link's.

"You're getting there." He smirked at the man above him.

"I just need something to make this feel smoother so I don't hurt you."

Link moved a hand under the bed. After barely a second, he pulled out a small bottle of lube. Rhett blinked incredulously.

"Where the hell did _that_ come from?' Rhett asked.

Link blushed. "I... found it." He shoved the bottle into Rhett's hands. Rhett paused, trying to read Link's expression. "Well?! Hurry up already!" Link yelped, summoning Rhett back to the task at hand. He fumbled with the bottle before finally managing to pour the cool liquid onto his palm. It warmed up the more he rubbed his hands together and coated it onto his hardened member. Just seeing Link splayed out before him made him start leaking, and he already felt his nerves throb in the most electric, pleasant way.

Not wanting to make Link wait any longer, Rhett held the perky, supple bottom that gaped for him. His cheeks were so warm and soft. Rhett practically cradled them as he gingerly pulled Link closer, aligning himself as best as he could.

He started with just the tip, holding it inside Link and feeling the ring of muscle tighten and pulsate around him. The warmth that surrounded that sensitive head was enthralling. He needed to feel more of it.

A throaty moan escaped Link's lips as Rhett slowly pushed further in. His breathing sped up to catch up with his racing heart. Good gracious, he'd never felt so many things, mentally and physically, before. He was so grateful to be alive. But this was far from over. Link whined and pleaded for more, and his lover quickly abided. Rhett pulled back, keeping just the tip still inside Link before thrusting in again, earning a thud of a gasp from the sudden stimulation. Rhett smiled and did it again. The harder he pushed, the sharper Link's sounds became. Link grappled Rhett with his legs and squeezed him tight like a boa constrictor. Rhett got the hint and moved faster, pumping into Link as if the action could harness power for a generator.

"Rhett..." Link squeaked as he wiped the sweaty hair out of his face. "_Rhett_!" He began shouting. His hands fumbled to find Rhett's shoulders before digging his nails into his skin. Rhett moves even faster, trying his best to help Link finish. It wasn't long until Link squeezed his eyes shut and let out a cry, splashing both of their torsos with the evidence of their actions of love. Rhett's climax followed suit, filling Link with the warm substance. His long arms wobbled before giving out, and Rhett flopped back onto Link's chest. Both of them heaved as their bodies laid limp against each other's.

"So...?" Rhett breathed, fluttering his big, green eyes at the man beneath him. "How was that for your first time?" Link smiled as his eyes opened ever so softly. To Rhett's surprise, they were glowing. His dilated pupils slowly shrunk and morphed to pinstripes. Rhett swore his heart stopped beating at the sight. So many questions flew rampantly through his mind, but his mouth couldn't cooperate with him enough to ask any of them.

"That was fantastic..." Link gasped, throwing his head back against the pillow. "I never thought..." Link's glazed expression morphed as he realized something was off. Rhett had been staring at him with eyes the size of saucers. "Wh... What is it, Rhett?"

"But... you're human now!" Rhett strained, touching and clutching the other man's skin. He felt like any other human did, and didn't have such a strong electromagnetic field as he did as a demon. But why was this happening? Rhett just couldn't wrap his head around it.

"Yeah... That's me. Human," Link laughed half-heartedly.

"Okay. What's the deal?" Rhett asked, crossing his arms over his bare, scarred chest. "I think you know what I'm talking about."

Link smiled wide and shook his head. "What is there to say?" he squeaked. "I have a body! I get my second chance! And best of all, I get to be with you!"

"But I don't understand... the deities... they..."

"Did what they said they would. They gave me a body," he held Rhett's arm and bounced it excitedly. Rhett gripped Link's shoulders so hard his knuckles turned white.

"But they said they'd drain your memories of your occult life! You're not supposed to -"

"Ow, geez!" Link pried Rhett's hands off of his shoulders. "I don't know why the memory miracle didn't work properly. Maybe one of the deities screwed it up."

"A _god_," Rhett stated, raising his eyebrows incredulously, "screwed up a miracle. Do you realize how stupid that sounds?"

Link flailed his arms as he threw himself against the pillow. The bed bounced and shook from under him. "That's the best I can come up with, Rhett! I don't know what else to think!"

Rhett's eyes remained wide. "At this point, honestly," he said in a half whisper, flicking his big eyes upward for any deities peeking down at them, "I'm starting to think they were probably threatened by you. By the power you hold. That could be why they got rid of you when they did."

Link flattened his puckered lips, making a silly, sarcastic face. "And you said _my_ idea sounded stupid."

"No, no. Seriously!" Rhett squeaked. He scooted over to sit beside Link. "Think about it. A group of gods tried to get rid of your occult memories, but the miracle failed. I bet there's something wrong with the body they gave you too!"

"Hey!" Link shoved Rhett playfully.

"I mean, you _look_ great, Link," Rhett giggled, "but _you're_ the one inhabiting that body. Do you feel like there's anything off about it?"

Link squinted trying to see himself in the full-length mirror. "I... I don't know. I can't see very well... compared to the other bodies I've possessed in the past."

"We can go see an eye doctor to get that checked out. No blind ex-demons on my watch."

Link chuckled. "Well, you know what? I'm still happy with the body I have. And what I had to go through to get it." He pulled Rhett against him on the bed by the bottom of his neck. The warmth radiating from Rhett's chest and seeping into his was absolutely addictive. "If I didn't fall, I wouldn't have met you." Link pressed his genuinely human lips against the tip of Rhett's nose. The man above him blossomed red in an instant.

"I'm glad too," Rhett hummed. "Um, in the best way." Link giggled and kissed Rhett on the lips this time. The two felt like they were melding together. Link was so happy to finally have a body of his own, as the feeling of kissing and being kissed felt so much softer and so much better than when he was a demon. There were so many things he wanted to do now that he was human...

... and he was ecstatic to have someone he cared about to share those experiences with.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all like this spooky Rhink fic! Please leave a comment and kudos if you enjoyed it! I always look forward to your reactions! Happy Spooky Month!! :D


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